Altered:Reality
by Morphme
Summary: Things have been tense in the Command Center since Tommy has come back with fading powers. The team has forbid a relationship between him and Kim, something the two are not dealing well with at all. Someone is lurking in the shadows though, hoping to take everything he can and ruling all. Especially if it means Lord Drakkon having the pink ranger all to himself.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey everyone! I know it's been forever but look what we have here! A NEW STORY! I've been working on this along with a couple things. I've started a new book that isn't PR related that's been eating up a good chunk of my time. I promise to update as quickly as possible.

Alright. So this is my take on the Shattered Grid. The story is going to be told in four different POVs; Tommy, Kimberly, Lord Drakkon, and the Ranger Slayer. If it gets confusing at any point, PLEASE let me know. I am excited about this one so I hope you all enjoy it. Again, this is my take on the idea of the Lord Drakkon story line which means it will be different from what is in the comic books. My inspiration mostly came from the little short JDF did to promote the books.

Thanks for reading and remember to R/R! :)

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**Altered/Reality**

"Isn't the smallest chance of winning enough of a reason to keep on fighting?"

What a stupid thought.

Moonlight shimmered through the large doorway that led to the balcony, the sound of an owl hooting in the distance echoing off the stone walls of the castle. The tall structure stood on its own, nothing surrounding it for a mile on either side. On the grounds, figures dressed in different colored armored suits walked along beaten paths that secured the area. They carried large military grade weapons, heat seeking ammo in the chambers. The padded sound of their footsteps carried into the night, an occasional shot ringing out when something moves in the darkness. From the balcony, the ruins laid in the moonlight. There were dim lights in the remaining structures, proof of the minimal amounts of life out there. Probably the remaining people who stayed behind, hoping for the rebellion to save the lives they once knew. If only they had known the outcome of what laid ahead of them. The power of what I had in store for them.

"Sir, is there anything I can get you?" The squeaky voice of Baboo asked as he cowered next to the throne. Lazily, I drifted my eyes to look at the shell of a henchman that knelt there. Long ago, he had been one of the repulsive creatures working for Empresses Rita Repulsa, helping her attempt to take over worlds and universes. Now, he was just my servant boy, the rest of his days destined to do my bidding.

"Find me something to kill." I muttered, rolling my eyes as I let out a bored sighed. He nodded, his eyes filled with worry as the black furred creature scurried away. He had at least been one of the more intelligent of her goons. His counterpart, Squatt, had nothing to offer to my services. He was just as stupid as he was fat, his blue skin more of an irritant than anything else I've ever seen. I had made sure to kill him quickly though. I might be ruthless but every great ruler has a sliver of mercy in them somewhere.

There was a feeling of restlessness inside of me, one I couldn't shake. I shifted in my seat, the cracked stone throne underneath me. This slab of stone was something I had earned through the blood, sweat, and tears of men I had slaughtered to get here. It was nestled in the middle of the room, stone walls and pillars surrounded the dimly lit structure. Orbs of green lights hovered in the air between each pillar, their glow illuminating the harsh shadows that casted on the walls. My interior design skills might not be the greatest but it was charming to me, showing all who enter that there was no need for hope. My castle was one of my most treasured possessions. Once I claimed Earth as my own, I made sure to secure this as my home. It took thousands of men and a great deal of power to relocate it here to Earth from the moon. I levelled an entire section of the small town known as Angel Grove to set it there, giving me the perfect location to look out over my new kingdom.

But even with Earth at my disposal along with a number of other worlds in our universe, I felt the urge for more. More carnage. More destruction. Ruling over this orb was nothing compared to the thrill of conquering it. I had thought that taking over Earth would give me everything I had ever wished for but I found myself missing my days in battle, my dragger piercing through the skin of those who dared to oppose me on the battlefield. The feeling of the flesh tearing and the warm blood splattering as they fell. Many had perished in vain, their efforts futile as the Earth became mine. There was no stopping me or my forces once we came to Earth. Even with those pitiful excuse of soldier known as the Power Rangers.

The Power Rangers. What a waste of potential. I had allowed them a chance to join me, using the powers that Zordon of Eltar had granted them, to take what was owed to us. I offered them the world at their feet and instead, they choose to defend the planet they couldn't let go of. Choosing teenagers to defend their planet was their downfall, their emotions playing into my hands like putty. It had been a fierce battle towards the end but like most heroes, their fall from grace was the longest. Running my sword through the pit of their leader was one of the most gratifying feelings I've ever felt. Watching the life drain from his very being told me that I had been the victor, no one left to stand in my way.

"Are we bored?" A voice called from the shadows of the throne room. I scanned the room, looking for the source. I already knew who was speaking so it was no surprise when I saw the slender form come slinking out of the darkness. A smirk crossed the corners of my lips as I watched with intrigue, the petite curvy figure coming to stop a couple feet away from my throne. The brunette woman smiled up at me, the glimmer in her doe brown eyes setting a fire in my chest that never seems to cool no matter the circumstance. The black mini skirt she wore stopped at the right length between her knees and thighs to leave enough for the imagination to wonder. Her torso was in a dark pink tank top that wrapped around her chest in a way that made her figure look perfect. Her hair was down, curls cascading down her back. Black stilettos housed her feet, giving her a couple more inches of height than what Kimberly Hart typically has.

"Perhaps I'm just seeking for the right person to entertain me." I mused, leaning back in my seat.

"Lord Drakkon, all you need to do is ask." She purred, stepping closer. She stopped at the steps leading up to the throne, dropping to her knees slowly. She crawled forward, her hands sliding up my legs. The cotton black slacks I wore allowed me to feel every touch of her fingertips. She pressed her body against the front of my legs as she allowed her hands to travel up my thighs.

This was a very different version of Kimberly than the one I had taken as my prisoner at the beginning of the war. It felt like almost a lifetime ago, seeking her out in the middle of the night and taking her. She had screamed, kicked, tried to fight back. I knew it was only half-heartedly though. As much as she loved those friends of hers, the love she held for me was much stronger. Her wanting to follow the oath she had taken when she joined the Power Rangers was nothing compared to her wanting to be with me. The spell I had forged to make her mine had worked but it didn't require the amount power I had feared. She fought in the beginning but after sometime, the good portions of her soul faded and filled with one desire; me. She shed the innocent skin of her youth, leaving behind the woman that was kneeling before me now, pulling down the zipper of my pants. Kimberly Hart was no more. She had earned a new name along with her new skills. No, she was known as the Ranger Slayer. It was name selected after she had taken down not one, not two, but three of her former teammates. She had slayed them without giving it a second thought, securing her rightful spot next to me in our new kingdom.

"My chambers. Now." I said, placing a finger under her chin to stop her from pulling me out of my pants fully. She listened, pulling back and allowing me to stand. I felt my body strain against my clothes and I held a hand out to assist her to her feet. heels clicked on the stone floor as she walked, leading me by the hand towards another doorway. More green orbs lined the hall here, illuminating her features. Hot desire was on her face each time she looked back at me over her shoulder and I felt it burn in me. Her beauty has always been my weakness. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the person I needed to be with. Even as the weak Tommy Oliver, I pined for a way to make her mine. It wasn't until I became the man I was now that I found a way to make it happen. Apart from my kingdom, she was the most important thing in my life.

Yet, like the rest of my life, I saw myself feeling tired of her as well. Her unwavering devotion and loyalty to me was something I sought but it didn't feel the same. I often found myself missing the version of her I had taken, the young and defiant Kimberly. Fifteen years had passed since that day and she had aged well but still, had aged. There was no fight in her anymore either, her just doing my every command. Where I had loved that before, it left me feeling bored and stale. I needed something to fight for or against. Everything around me just was a given now. As great as it was, I missed the passion of a fight and the passion in Kim to fight for what's right.

Pulling me into my chambers, she closed the door behind us. This was the only room in the entire palace that didn't have the green orbs. Instead, there were white ones perched on holders on the walls. A four poster bed was on the left side of the room, green silk sheets on the feather bed. My arsenal of weapons was on the right wall, the Dragon Dagger and Saba, the tiger sword, were perched on hooks here. Underneath, the sword belonging to the red Power Ranger was also mounted. This was more of a trophy than an actual weapon for battle. It was to show off my victory over the leader of the Power Rangers, his death coming slowly and painfully at my hands.

Kimberly walked over to a dresser that stood in the corner and opened the top drawer, pulling something from inside. She turned back to me, revealing a pair of silver cladded restraints. Handing them out to me, I took them in my hands. She removed her clothing, revealing her naked body to me before putting her wrists together behind her back. I clasped the cuffs on her wrists, running my hand over the skin on her round ass. She leaned into it, her breath hitching as I massaged the flesh. Bringing my hand back, I slapped her quickly. She gasped, jutting forward slightly as I repeated the action. I did so until a red area formed on her skin, the outline of my fingers appearing in the blush. I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her against me, the shape of her body fitting well with mine. I put a hand on her back and pushed, bending her over. I grinded my hips against her, making sure she felt what she was doing to me against her. She arched her back, allowing me to grab a fist full of her hair. I pulled her head back so it was closer to me and I leaned my face in close to her ear.

"Who do you belong to?" I whispered.

"You." She replied, not taking a second to even think about it.

"Who owns your body?"

"You." She breathed. I wrapped an arm around her, setting my hand on her throat. She was pressed firmly against me now, nothing between us except my clothes.

"Then show me what's mine." I sunk my teeth into the skin of her neck, allowing my tongue to lap at the area above her pulse. I released her, stepping back. She turned on her heel, dropping to her knees again. I unbuttoned my pants and allowed them to fall, revealing my stiff member. Without hesitation, she opened her mouth and took me into it. The warm, wet feeling of her mouth made me hiss. She took as much as she could in her mouth, the back of her throat vibrating the tip of my cock as she sucked. I grabbed the back of her head, threading my fingers into her hair. She moved back and forth, licking and tasting every inch of me as she did. Her eyes looked up at me as she did and I felt myself stiffen as much as possible. "You look so beautiful around my cock."

"Anything to make you happy." She said, letting me fall from her mouth. I pulled her to her feet, pulling my long sleeved shirt off. I picked her up off the ground, her legs instinctively wrapped around my hips. Walking over to the wall, I slid inside of her. Like a sword in a sheath, it fit perfectly. She hissed in my ear as I used the wall for leverage to drive myself into her, over and over again. The tightness of her sucked me into her, pleasure radiating from the sensation. She moaned, her back arching.

"Oh god." She panted and I could feel the beginnings of an orgasm building for her. Her breasts bounced against me each time I thrusted into her. She was moaning because of me. She was feeling this much pleasure because of me. I had the power to do this. Not only was I the most powerful man in the universe, I had the utmost control over the most beautiful woman in the world as well. Men wanted her and women wished to be her. I had been her first and will be her only. I had claimed her as mine own which she will stay until her last breath. I would make sure of that.

"Don't come until I give you permission." I whispered in her ear. She let out a whimper, telling me she was hoping I would let her go.

"Please." She said. "Please can I come?"

"Beg." I said. "I want to hear you beg."

"Please. Please. Please." She panted with each movement. A smile crossed my face as I felt her growing ever closer. "Please let me. Let me come for you."

"Do it." I said, looking at her. I moved faster and harder and she let out a loud cry.

"Tommy!" She called out. I froze, instant rage filling inside of me at the sound of that name. I reached up and grabbed her by the throat with both of my hands. She looked at me, surprised.

"Don't fucking call me that." I seethed, glaring at her. "Do you understand?" She nodded frantically, gasping for breath. I blocked her airway off just enough to make it hard for her to breathe. "That fool is dead. Lord Drakkon is king now. This is mine. All of this. And you are mine. Everything you say or do is because I allow you to. If I tell you to stop breathing, you stop breathing. I tell you what to do, when to do it, and when to stop. If you ever call me that name again, I will make sure the rest of your life is as miserable as those pathetic little friends of yours were." I leaned in closer to her. "You're only alive because you're useful to me."

"I'm sorry." She breathed out.

"You will be." I whispered, moving my hips again. I bucked as hard as I could, sinking as deep as I possibly could be. She let out a shallow cry, screwing her eyes shut. I gripped her throat tightly, her air cut off entirely. I kept moving until I felt my own orgasm coming. It slammed into me, a hiss coming through my clenched teeth. I released her throat and she gasped, taking in as much air as possible. I slammed my hands on either side of her head and leaned in close, panting. I felt my eyes flash green as rage and power surged through my body. "You. Are. Mine."


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Hi everyone! I hope everyone had the chance to celebrate National Power Rangers Day on August 28th. I know I sure did! I had hoped to post this on that day but I ended up watching a marathon of Tommy and Kim episodes and wayyyyyyyy too many adult beverages to be able to. But here we are now! Like I stated before, the chapters will be in different POVs. Make sure to check the top of the chapter to figure out which character is speaking. **_

_**So, I want to take a little poll quick. While writing my fics, I always battle with how to spell Zack's name. Sometimes I put Zack. Other times I put Zach. Which way do you guys think it should be? My spellcheck always corrects it to Zach.**_

_**I hope you enjoy and remember to R&R!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing PR related. That's Hasbro's job. I also do not own the rights to anything related to the BOOM! Studio comics. If I did, there would be no need for me to write this fic because our favorite duo would be together forever in it. -_-**_

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_**Tommy**_

"Hey. Can we talk to you for a minute?" Jason Lee Scott asked as I walked into the main chamber of the Command Center. The large room was lit up brightly, telling me that our mentor, Zordon of Eltar, was in his power tube. Sure enough, as I approached the control panels centered around the middle of the room, the large transparent head of the intergalactic being was there. Jason was leaning against one of the control panels, the dark haired teen crossing his arms when he looked up at me. He wore his typical red a-line tank top with a pair of red gym shorts underneath. I could tell from the way he was looking at me that this wasn't going to be a positive conversation. As the leader of the Power Rangers, I knew he was here to talk to me about something. He had a serious look on his face, looking like he was ready to take on anything.

Terrific.

"Sure. What's up?" I asked, gripping the strap of my backpack tighter in my right hand. Next to Jason, I saw his second in command, Zack Taylor. He was standing a couple feet away from Jason, a supportive smile on his face. The Africian American teenager always made light of every situation as he avoided tension like the plague. It was a skill he has had since I met him six months ago. He wore black denim jeans and a purple and black striped t-shirt. Little dreadlocks aligned around his head, three of them hanging in front of his face. I glanced around the room, hoping for a sign of anyone else but no one was there. Well, accept Zordon. Even Alpha was gone, the small robot missing from the room.

"Tommy, there is a manner we need to discuss with you." Zordon's voice boomed above me. The bald head floated there and a feeling of unease came over me. This had to be about my powers. I should have known better than to think they were going to last.

The Power Rangers are an elite fighting force destined to defend the earth against anyone who might try to harm the people who live there. They've been protecting Earth for centuries now, beginning in the time when Zordon had a physical body. He hasn't told us much about that time but we did know he fought in our uniforms at some point. He was encased in the Command Center, waiting for a time when the Rangers would be needed again. And the time came when Rita Repulsa, an evil sorcerer hellbent on taking over the world, was released from the space dumpster she had been sealed in. With her release, Zordon was forced to take action. He summoned five teenagers with attitude, giving them power coins. I'm not quite sure why he thought teenagers were the best option for the job but that's the direction he went.

Jason and Zack were selected along with Billy Cranston, Trini Kwan, and Kimberly Hart. They were brought here and the Power Rangers were reborn. Zack is the black ranger, Trini is the yellow, Billy is the blue ranger, and Kim is the pink ranger. Jason was assigned the red ranger and the leader, tasked with leading the team into battle against whatever kind of monster that Rita dreams up and sends to attack our town, Angel Grove. From the outside, the monsters she send might look silly and worthless but I can attest to how dangerous they can be. Especially her first in command, Goldar. He's a giant gorilla looking asshole that wears all gold armor. He's the stuff of kids nightmares and is her most powerful henchman. Rita is positioned on the moon, her palace nestled on the edge of the darkness there. This gives her the perfect view of Earth, allowing her to plan her next tactic.

I should know. I was one of them.

After her return, Rita saw that her monsters were not doing the job in taking out the Rangers. So, she used her most powerful weapon she had at her disposal; her own power coin. It had been created and sealed away, waiting for her while she was sealed in the dumpster. She travelled for days to retrieve it, the coin protected by the soul of her mother. Her mother was also a powerful sorcerer but unlike Rita, her powers were used for good when she was still alive. Rita was able to seal her powers into the coin, allowing it to be powered enough to attach to the force that powers all of the power coins and the Power Rangers; the morphing grid. The grid controls everything to do with the rangers, from their powers, their uniforms, to their zords, giant mechanical weapons used to defend the earth.

Rita brought the power coin back to the moon and began searching for the perfect specimen to be her ranger. She found me, seeing me perform at a martial arts tournament that I just happened to go up against Jason at. I was new to town, moving here after my parents decided they needed a change of pace after my father retired from the military. I was the new kid, trying to get adjusted to a new school. As I was walking to meet up with Kimberly to get better acquainted, Rita sprang her plan into action. She sent putties after me, soldiers she creates to attack before she sends her monsters down. I was able to defeat them easily, something she was hoping for. I was abducted, taken to the moon where she placed a spell on me. I was given the powers of the Dragonzord, becoming her evil green ranger.

And evil I was. Under the spell, I attacked innocent people. Most of the time, I can barely remember due to the spell but I knew the damage I caused. I murdered countless people and destroyed the lives of so many. My favorite targets were the Rangers, my sole purpose in life to destroy them. It was the goal Rita had set in my mind, planting the seeds of their complete and total annihilation. I broke into the Command Center and almost succeeded in ridding the world of Zordon for good. I threw the Rangers from their Megazord, sending them to their almost certain death from hundreds of feet in the air. I would attack, day and night, but I never managed to succeed no matter how hard I tried. I worked alongside the monsters she would sent to Earth and Goldar, hoping that we would be able to destroy the rangers. Rita showed me their identities, telling me to study them and figure out their routines. I was like a cat, watching the mice try to find a way to safety without knowing I was even there.

Throughout my time as her servant, I was instructed to go to school and follow the motions of an average teenagers. I played the role, biding my time for the perfect opportunity to strike. I kidnapped Jason and locked him in a pocket dimension to face off against Goldar without any of his powers. I even battled him then, my identity was still a mystery to him and the rest of the rangers at that point. I eventually messed up along the way though, Alpha and Zordon managing to figure out who the green ranger really was. The team changed their mission of stopping me to saving me, hoping to break whatever spell there was on me that had me plotting their demise on a daily basis.

Especially Kim.

"What's going on?" I asked, leaning against the control panel opposite of Jason and Zack. Jason gave Zack a look of apprehension before pushing himself up from the panel.

"Look, man. I've always tried to be straight you so I'm going to be now. I know things between you and Kim are going good right now. And I'm happy for the both of you. I think the world of Kim and you've become almost a brother to me. But I think it's time we sit down and really think about the consequences of any kind of relationship that would happen between two rangers." He grasped his hands together and did his best to avoid eye contact with me. "I don't know how serious you are and everything so we thought it'd be best to talk to you sooner rather than later."

"What do you mean?" I asked, standing up and crossing my arms. "Are you trying to tell me that I can't date Kimberly?"

"It's not like that, bro." Zack said, stepping forward to stand next to Jason. "It's more of a guided suggestion that the two of you rethink the impact of you being together."

"Tommy, it could put the team in great danger if any enemy of the Rangers learned that two of our forces were involved in a romantic relationship." Zordon said, causing me to shift my head to look up at him. "With your already fading powers, it is uncertain if we would be able to protect you or Kimberly from an attack if you became the targets." I shook my head, not believing that the floating head in a tube was giving me dating advice. Not that it really was advice.

"I can protect Kim and myself from any thing. Sure, my powers are fading but I can take on any thing Rita wants to throw at me. So can Kim. Plus, I think you guys are missing the point that what happens between Kimberly and I is our own private business." I replied.

"Not when it puts the whole team in jeopardy." Jason stated, crossing his arms. "We didn't want it to come to this, Tommy. We really didn't. We thought that maybe since your powers did fade for the small time and you two didn't really seem to move forward with any type of a relationship after the dance, we'd be fine. But then you came back to the team and you have been spending a lot of time together. It needs to be addressed as to how huge of a safety concern it is not only for you two and the team but for the rest of the Earth. What happens if we are fighting against Goldar and he goes after Kim? You might put her well being in front of innocent civilians who we have sworn to protect. That can't happen if you want to be on the team. The same goes for Kim. She's done it during a battle before as well. The team needs you guys to be there 100% of the time." I felt a pang of guilt as I knew exactly what he was referring to. We had been in battle against one of Rita's monsters. It had been a strong foe, taking mostly everything we had to over power the creature. During one of our first encounters with it, I ended up have a moment where my powers weakened. Kim dropped everything she was doing to rush to my side to ward off the attack. This wouldn't have been a big deal if it wasn't for the fact she had been saving someone from a putty. The person had ended up getting to safety but it wasn't with the help of Kim but instead Trini who had seen everything happen. Kim felt awful about it after the fact, hoping that Trini wouldn't say anything to anyone else about it. Either she did or the guys were watching more closely than we had though.

"I think you guys are butting in where you don't belong." I said, a flare of frustration in my chest. "It's not like Rita doesn't know who we are anyway. She can attack anyone of us without warning based on that. And she knows how close we are as a team. She's used it against us before."

"This is completely different and you know it, Tommy." Jason replied, giving me a hopeful look. "Sure, I would lay my life down for any of you but I couldn't risk someone else's life because of it. How serious are you two?"

"I can't believe this." I muttered, shaking my head. I let my backpack fall to the floor as I paced a few steps away from them, turning my back to Zordon. "How is this any different than if Rita knew about Angela?" I asked.

"Because Angela doesn't possess a power coin!" Zack said, trying to keep the tone of his voice down. "If she gets kidnapped or taken, we don't have to work about Rita controlling a portion of the Megazord or any of our powers."

"Zack's correct." Zordon said. "With Kimberly and you both being connected to the morphing grid, the risk is far greater if a personal attack were to happen and she requested a power coin for your safety."

"Well, Kim and I aren't even in a relationship." I said, feeling the edges of my lie creeping in. It wasn't all a lie. We hadn't yet defined whether we are in a relationship or not. We've been taking things slow, going on a couple dates and hanging out together. After our first kiss when I lost my powers for the first time, I thought we would end up dating. But following the dance, she didn't say anything about it and I didn't push the issue. When Zordon brought me back to the team, things between us started picking up again. Slowly, yes. Still, we have been almost inseparable these last couple of months. When we're alone, we're different than we are in front of our friends. It's easier that way.

"No but you sure are acting it." Jason sighed. I suddenly wished I hadn't told him a damn thing about what was going on between Kim and. So much for being my best friend. I had gone to him for advice when I first came back to the team, trying to figure out how to tell if Kim was still interested. He had even told me that he knew she was and that I should just go for it. Now he was sitting here trying to tell me I should back off because the fate of the world depends on it? "Tommy, I get this is shitty. I do-."

"Oh really? I don't see anyone here trying to tell you that you can't have feelings for Trini." I snapped, knowing it was a low bow. He had told me in confidence that he had feelings for the yellow ranger. His jaw clenched when I said it out loud and Zack's eyes widened for a brief moment, telling me he hadn't known.

"You're right." He said, his voice tight. "But if they were, I would at least try to understand where they're coming from."

"Look, your powers aren't the greatest right now anyway. We have no clue of knowing how long they are going to last and if we'll find a way to recharge them. Maybe you'll just have to wait until they are gone and then the two of you can make things official." Zack offered. I ran a hand through my hair, letting out a dark chuckle.

"That'll at least give me something to look forward to when I get the boot for not having powers, I guess. And I suppose I'll just sit sidelines, watching my girlfriend risk her life each time, knowing that there is nothing I can do to help her if things go south." I scoffed. Jason let out a groan, putting his hands on his hips.

"Tommy, don't make me do this. You're leaving me with no other choice, man." He pleaded.

"Make you do what?" I asked, stepping towards him.

"If you don't agree to not date Kimberly, I'm going to have to ask you to give up your power coin."

"Are you fucking_ kidding _me?" I asked, glaring at him. "After everything we've went through? After all the times I _saved_ you all from Rita and her monsters? You are going to kick me off the team if I don't agree to this? Un-**fucking**-believable."

"Losing you as a Ranger who be a tremendous loss for the team, Tommy, but this agreeance needs to occur to protect the world." Zordon said, his voice cutting into my skull like razor blades. I couldn't give up being a ranger. Not only was it the single most important thing in my life right now, it was one of the main things I had in common with Kim. I was able to fight with her by my side where I could help her if need be. Protect her. A feeling of realization slowly came over me. They were right. When I could picture fighting on the team, my main thought went to Kim and making sure she was alright at all times. I couldn't promise that I wouldn't put her first during a battle. And that did put everyone, including the team, at risk.

"What about Kim?" I asked softly, glancing at my shoes.

"Trini and Billy are talking to her right now. We figured it would be better than ambushing the two of you here." Jason responded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I wish I didn't have to do this. I like the two you do together. I really do. You're the first guy she's liked that isn't a fucking moron. I wish things could be different. You know that, right?" He asked. I glanced up at Jason, seeing that he was telling the truth. I knew he was. He had been helping me along the way, giving me tips on how to get with Kim. Zack too. Something told me this wasn't coming from them but more so Zordon. I had no chance of reasoning with him. Besides, Zack might be right. Who knows how long my powers will last? I might agree to this today and be out of the Rangers by tomorrow. Then this wouldn't matter and Kim and I could try the whole relationship thing then.

"Yeah. I know. Fine. I agree to this. I don't like it but I can't ignore the fact that there is a risk. You're just going to have to worry about Kim hurting you more than me." I said, shrugging my shoulders. Jason smirked, nodding.

"I know. I'm sure a blast of pink will be appearing here sooner or later." There was suddenly a loud and blaring alarm system ringing around us, the lights flashing along with the shrill tones. "What is it, Zordon?" Jason asked, turning to him.

"Rita has sent a group of putties to the park to attack the 5th grade picnic." He replied, the images flashing on the viewing globe in the corner. Zack and I stepped forward, getting a better look. I could see the grey clay brained putties running around, chasing the ten year olds around the park. One kicked over the coolers filled with drinks while another threw handfuls of food at the teachers who were trying to get their students to safety.

"Terrific. Rita sure knows how to ruin a fun time." Zack said, shaking his head.

"I will call the others and have them teleport to the park immediately. Tommy, you will need to stay here to reserve your powers in case another threat of greater power should happen." Zordon stated.

"I'm sure it will." I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"Sorry, man." Zack said, giving me a pat on the back. "Ready, Jase?"

"Right. It's morphing time!" Jason called, coming to stand next to Zack as I stepped backwards.

"Mastodon!" I heard Zack yell as a blast of black light absorbed him for a moment. When it cleared, he was wearing a black uniform made of protective spandex like material. White diamonds covered the chest area, white gloves on his hands. On his waist, there was a power plaster. This was a weapon that resembled a pistol but shoot out rays of power rather than bullets. His helmet was shaped to match that of a mastodon, the powerful prehistoric animal that his power coin was created after.

"Tyrannosaurus!" Jason called out, his deep voice echoing around the room. Red light exploded around him and when it cleared, he was dressed in a similar uniform as Zack but was instead red. His helmet resembled that of the t-rex, the king of the dinosaurs being an impressive mantle for our leader.

"Work on calling the others, Tommy. We will call you if we need you." He said, nodding at me.

"I will." I replied. Jason grabbed the morpher located at the front of his waist, a silver plated belt buckle almost that housed our power coins. When he did, him and Zack disappeared in bursts of their respective colors. On the viewing globe, I saw them arrive in the park. I could also see that the pink, blue, and yellow rangers were also there, engaging in battle with the putties.

"Tommy, I know you believe that this agreement is unfair." Zordon said, calling my attention away from the viewing globe. I turned to face him as I stepped closer to his tube. "You need to understand that this is for your protection."

"I can protect myself, Zordon." I said. I saw him take an expression of distress as he peered down at me.

"I'm afraid you cannot in all situations. I cannot explain in detail but if you pursue a relationship with Kimberly, there will be fatal consequences for your actions that not even I can prevent from happening."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Good evening, everyone! Here is the latest installment of Altered/Reality. I would like to dedicate this chapter to the memory of Robert Axelrod. He was the voice actor of Lord Zedd and Finster. He passed away over the weekend at the age of 70. It's always sad to lose a member of the Power Ranger family. Zedd was the first American based villain in the series and one of the best in my book. I hope he is at peace and that his family finds comfort at this time.

* * *

Ranger Slayer

I didn't know who he was trying to kid. The moment you looked at Drakkon, you could tell he was more bored than a kid sitting in math class. I watched as he sat in his throne, listening to the general that stood before him rattle on about some kind of attack on forces on the outskirts of our galaxy and how we needed to attack now before whispers of a rebellion reached Earth. Drakkon's eyes looked as if he was inches from falling asleep, not an ounce of care on his features. The pale skin on his face made the purple colored veins pop out more on the lower parts of his cheeks and his neck. In the beginning, they were terrifying to me. I wasn't used to seeing him look like that at all. But now, they were signs of the power that raged inside of him from the morphing grid. His very form radiated the amounts of pure power he had at his disposal, making him the most feared leader on this side of the universe.

Drakkon shifted in his seat, his eyes lazily drifting over towards me as the general continued to speak. I gave him a smirk, rolling my eyes in the direction of the Gergolian, a war driven alien race that lived on an asteroid field just west of Mars. General Ackles looked like he would scare children as a hobby, the large beast resembling that of a rhinoceros. His skin was a sickly green color, a large horn made out of black ivory in the center of his gruesome face. He wore black plated armor, a long sword hanging at his waist. Across the middle of his torso, there was a chrome slated A that stood for his name. It was customary for the Gergolain generals to wear their initials as a sign of power. If you ask me, it was a sign of pride and vanity. The way he held himself told you that he thought the world of himself and that no one was better than him. Even by the way he looked at Drakkon, I knew he thought bowing to the younger man was beneath him. It's been this way since the fall of his people to Drakkon, his entire kingdom taken down by our troops. He had weaseled his way out of a certain death by turning on the other members of his council. He stood by and watched them die, swearing loyalty to our cause. I knew Drakkon could see right through him but decided to keep him around for the use of his military defenses. It was one of the strongest forces to the west of the sun and Drakkon needed to ensure we had coverage in the section of the galaxy. Now with complete control of nearly everything, I was growing weary of the huge, ugly waste of space. They may call me the Ranger Slayer but I assure you that I can kill more than puny humans in spandex.

My mind wandered as I thought of the Rangers. At one time, they had been my friends. Pretty much my family. We had all taken oaths to protect the world with each other, fighting against the evil forces Rita sent to Earth to try to conquer Earth. On paper, it even sounded stupid. Five teenagers with attitude? Please. If you want someone to defend your planet, pick people who are trained for that type of situation. Not five 15 year olds who are trying to figure out puberty. I thought it was stupid then and I still believe it's stupid now, fifteen years later. Zordon should have known better. Maybe then, he wouldn't be completely dead and neither would those he selected as his rangers.

I wasn't thrilled about being a ranger in the beginning. I cared more about little things like shopping and the mall. I did agree though and signed up for the job. Today, I'm glad more than ever that I did. I couldn't imagine Drakkon letting me be by his side if I had been just another civilian on the streets. I'd be nothing to him as a regular girl. No. It worked better that I was one of the elite, carrying a power coin with me that connected me right to the morphing grid. We fought for months as a team, the five of us going up against anything that threatened Earth. And then Rita sent in our biggest challenge yet: another Power Ranger. Green to be exact. He had powers we could only dream of having and he seemed to always be a step ahead of us. His Dragonzord was more powerful than our Megazord as well, easily almost destroying us at each battle. We were lucky to get out by the skin of our teeth each time.

It wasn't until two months into our war against the green ranger that we learned it was a boy named Tommy Oliver. He was the new kid at school, one that I had taken a liking to and had also seemed to catch my eye for long moments in the hallway. I was crushed by the idea of going up against him, knowing that there was a risk that he might die and that I might be aiding to that chance. I begged the rangers to find a way to defeat him without killing him. There had to be a way. There was something about this kid that I just couldn't shake. I'm not a sucker for love by any means but if this was love at first sight, I'd believe it. There was a pull about him that wouldn't release me no matter how hard I fought it. I tried reasoning with him, asking him to not fight against us but with us. He refused, warning me that we were all going to be his next victims.

There was another battle, this time us getting the upper hand. Billy had spent days going over countless hours of battle footage from previous encounters. He theorized that if we destroyed Tommy's Sword of Darkness, we would be able to release him from the spell that Rita had on him. When Tommy attack again, him and Jason fought against one another. Jason was able to break the sword along with the spell. Only, we weren't able to get to Tommy in time before he fled. He disappeared from school, his parents worried about his whereabouts. We searched everywhere we could for him but it was like he just vanished. Fear started to settle in me that he had died and Rita had hid his body somewhere.

Rita did have him alright. She had found a scared, confused, and broken Tommy Oliver free from her spell. Drakkon is unaware how much of this story I know of. The monster creator, Finster, had confided in me about this part of the story in case something were to occur involving Rita and the past. Rita convinced Tommy that joining her fight against good was the only thing he could do to be whole again. That he had done so much evil before that there was no point in changing what his heart really ached for. And Tommy believed her, wanting to get revenge on the Power Rangers for not being able to save him before the worst happened. We were shocked to see him still working with Rita, fully aware that he was no longer under the influence of her spell. He was fighting us as Tommy, nothing controlling his actions but himself.

Even with him still our enemy, he was drawn towards me. There were nights I would wake up and find traces of him in my room. Once, I was walking home from school and he followed for a while. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want the team to know but I didn't want him to stop either. Even during battles, every chance I was able to see him was worth the risk. I knew he felt the same way by the way he would target the other rangers more than me. In a way, he was more gentle when we faced off. We were quickly being shown that our powers were no match to that of him and Rita. She was wiping out parts of the Earth faster than we could protect it. We called on the help of the Alien Rangers to assist us, hoping it would be enough to stop him. Jason was given the mantle of the white Ranger powers, Zordon's last attempt to give us a leg up on Tommy.

It didn't work. Tommy was able to stop the power transfer before it was completed. He killed Jason in front of us all, running his dagger right through him until there wasn't a sign of life in his body. Tommy took the white Ranger powers and Saba, the talking tiger sword that came with it. By doing so, he combined the powers of the White Ranger and the Green Ranger. That was how Lord Drakkon was born. He shed the persona of Tommy Oliver, declaring him dead as he went on to destroy the connection between Earth and Zordon. The Command Center was destroyed and the rest of us rangers ran, hoping to find somewhere to hide to regroup.

That night, we took refuge in an abandoned building on the edge of town. We all took turns doing watch. On my turn, I walked outside and came face to face with the newly named Lord Drakkon. I didn't have a moment to react before he kidnapped me. I found myself on the moon before I could even blink, chained to a wall in the Dark Dimension. He would come see me every so often, not saying much but bringing me food and water. As much as I wanted to avenge my fallen leader and friend, I was concerned about why he had brought me here and why I was still alive. Finally, my question was answered when he asked me to join him. Things are a bit hazy following that but I have been fighting by his side since then.

After joining the side of Lord Drakkon, he felt that he no longer needed to have Rita there with him. He killed her as well, leaving the space on his team for me to fill. He had his servants craft me a new uniform to wear and he gave me my first task: ridding the world of the rest of the Rangers. And I did just that, not asking a single question. I searched the Earth for them, trying to locate Zack, Billy, and Trini. I was able to find them in Angel Grove of all places where they begged for their lives. I killed them with mercy, making sure they didn't suffer for long while they died. I also took out the remaining members of the Alien Rangers, leaving no one alive to tell the horror of their deaths but me.

During this time, Drakkon's reign truly began. He paraded throughout the streets, watching his men round up any humans that survived the war. He sent most of them to camps in Mexico where they worked for their keep. Mostly, they mined for coal and crafted turbines to produce energy. It took a lot of power to connect to the morphing grid like Drakkon does so he requires the manpower to help him with this. The women and children were sent to housing projects in various parts of the country, the boys being sent away to train for the army as soon as they were old enough to. In the beginning. The men tried to have their ways with the captured women but Drakkon slaughter anyone who tried to harm them. I suspected it was the same sliver of him that was still Tommy Oliver, hidden inside of him with a small amount of decency. It was the same place where his mercy resides, poking through now and then when it needed to.

Since our night together the other day where I mistakenly called him Tommy, Drakkon hasn't spoken to me. Sure, we've fucked and I've done his bidding but it was under the pretenses of him not talking. It was driving me insane not having him say my name or speaking to me while we were together. I've chided myself for a long time for making the mistakes, knowing it should have never happened. There was a part of me that sometimes slipped back into a blank part of my past I have troubles remembering. Back when I did everything the Rangers and Zordon told me to do. When I was just the weak and puny Kimberly. I was proud not to be that person anymore, understanding why Drakkon referred to not be known as Tommy. They were our past, two children who didn't have a clue of how the real world worked and how power was the only solution to getting what you wanted. That was something that Drakken had shown me and I've never turned back since.

"Sire, what move would you wish me to make?" General Ackles asked, breaking me from my thoughts. I watched as Drakkon lazily lifted his eyes to look at the general before sighing.

"Have your fleet guard the perimeter. If anyone wishes to come through our territory, give them the option to surrender or be killed. It's not rocket science, Ackles, just because it's in space. Don't come back to my throne room unless you have something important to tell me." Drakkon said, narrowing his eyes. The general took a step back, a look of surprise on his rough face. He quickly overcame it before nodding, turning to step out of the room. He looked at me as he passed, giving a small nodded before exiting the room. Drakkon sighed loudly, leaning back in his throne. "Goldar!" He yelled over his shoulder. In the distance, I could hear the metal sound of boots clumping on the ground. In the left side of the room, a large figure appeared in the doorway.

"Yes, my grace?" The grizzly voice said as the figure entered. He was an erect gorilla, his black fur graying in patches now where it hadn't been before. Gold army covered his body and large wings with black as night feathers were on his back. Bead dull red eyes pierced around the room as he knelt down in front of Drakkon. Goldar, the greatest warrior besides Drakkon, who has ever fought for Rita Repulsa. He had gone up against us as Rangers, his brute strength and battle strategy almost enough to take us out a time or two. When Drakkon had decided to kill Rita, he had given Goldar the option of serving him or dying with his queen. It only took him a matter of seconds to pick Drakkon and the power he held. Goldar is the leader of the sentri soldiers, the army in which Drakkon uses. It is made up of troops dressed in armor fashioned like that of the Power Rangers. There are four main colors, each one decided which tasks were assigned to them. Yellow and Black are foot soldiers, Blue is a more technical approach, and red is the leaders of the army. He elected to not allow pink in the ranks, honoring me and protecting his soldiers from the embarrassment of wearing such a girly color.

"I need you to keep an eye on General Ackles for me. It seems that his loyalty may beginning to waiver. I suspect he is the one who has been helping the rebellion rumors in his quadrant of the galaxy. If you hear wind, I want you to bring him to me." Drakkon ordered, standing from the throne.

"Yes, you're grace." Goldar replied, bowing his head. "I'll ensure that he abides by our rules."

"Has Scorpina returned from her mission yet? I wish to speak to her regarding the status of the work in Mexico."

"No, my grace. She should be returning in a couple days time. Her and her men ran into some more humans who were trying to rebel. They had to rectify the situation before returning." Goldar said, a grin in the corner of his mouth. It made the sharp fang in his mouth protrude slightly. All the help around here is ugly as fuck. It was a wonder that he was married, especially to that of Scorpina. She was a beautiful woman, her choosing the form of that of an Asian woman. Like Goldar, she had worked for Rita, being one of her strongest fighters. I've always suspected she had only joined Drakkon's army because Goldar had instructed her to. Her allegiance to the cause hasn't always been clear. I've seen her and Goldar exchange hushed words in his native tongue, obviously trying to hide something from someone. I don't meddle in these affairs though. It's Drakkon's order.

"See to it that she reports to me when she returns. I want to hear about her efforts." Drakkon said, crossing his arms.

"As you wish, Lord Drakkon." Goldar said, standing as well. "Lord Zedd is here to see you, sire. Should I send him in?" Drakkon nodded, casting his eyes towards me again as he did. Goldar bowed quickly before taking leave, heading out the doorway he had come from. Clasping his hands behind his back, Drakkon walked over towards me and stopped. He didn't look at me, just standing close enough where his hip was almost touching mine as he faced the opposite direction as me. I held my breath, wondering what he was going to do. I despised when he didn't talk to me. It gave me an uneasy feeling in my stomach and almost panic in my entire chest. He was all I had left in this world now and I would die for him. Not having him speaking to me was worse than any kind of torture I've seen him inflict on others and he knew it.

"Have we learned from our mistakes?" He asked, finally turning his eyes so they were casted down towards me. I nodded quickly, my heart beating hard in my chest.

"Yes, my lord." I said softly.

"Good. What Zedd and I need to speak of is in confidence. I need to know I can trust you with that information." He shifted so he was facing me head on. "You're no use to me if I can't trust you."

"I'm sorry. It'll never happen again." I said, holding his gaze.

"For your sake, I hope you're right. It would be a pity to scar up that pretty face that belongs to me." He leaned in and brushed his lips over my right cheek bone. I closed my eyes, taking in the Earthy tones of his scent. With him being so close, I swear I can feel the power raging underneath his skin. He brought his hand up and gingerly wrapped his fingers around my throat, making sure to place his thumb directly over my trachea. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lord Drakkon." I breathed, a feeling in my belly forming. I mentally begged for him to touch me more, to take me back to his chambers. Instead, we were interrupted by the sound of clicking metal on stone. Behind Drakkon, I saw another figure appear being led by two senteries in black armor. Between them, Lord Zedd stood. The ugly keeps getting uglier. This guy really took the cake though. His very skin was made out of a red membrane much like that of a human brain. It looked like thick veins the protruded all over his body. He wore chrome metal armor that resembled that of an exoskeleton, the only thing protecting his squishy body and the tubes running all over it that kept him alive from easily being squashed like a bug. On his head, there was a helmet that had a visor with a red protective film over his eyes and a chrome grill where his mouth would be. The top of the helmet had a piece that stuck out of it, a chrome plated Z at the top of it. It matched that of the silver staff in his hand, a large Z on the end of that as well. Lord Zedd was the stuff of children's nightmares. I suspect when he wasn't here, he was hiding in closets or underneath beds, just waiting to scare some kid to death.

"That'll be all." Drakkon said to the foot soldiers who bowed before taking leave. He dropped his hands from me and turned away, leaving me feeling burned. "Zedd, it's good to see you again. I hope this means you've brought me good news." He said, stepping towards Zedd. Lord Zedd was one of the most feared rulers of the galaxy. Even Rita Repulsa had been known to be fearful of him and his control over her. When she enlisted the help of Drakkon after the Ranger broke the spell on Tommy, Rita was pretty proud of herself and figured that she wouldn't need to worry about Zedd anymore. Unfortunately for her, Zedd was one of the reasons why Drakkon decided to kill her. I had been there, listening from the sidelines as the two of them talked about how useless they felt she had become in their mission to conquer the rest of the universe. Though he had been loyal to her after all this time, Drakkon made the final decision. Since then, Zedd has been working on special missions for Drakkon. These were missions he was to keep between Drakkon and him, me being the only other person who was aware of them. Most of the time, it was finding new technology to power the Zords we had taken during the battles and locating new areas of the galaxy to inhabit. This time, I was unsure of what Zedd had been working on. I had been gone on my own mission the last time he was here, Finister telling me of this after the fact. He was unsure of the details of their conversation but did say that Drakkon seemed unamused following the departure. I wondered with interest now what could be the reason for this visit.

"Shall we talk in private?" Zedd's voice said, a rasping growl under his mask. Drakkon nodded, his eyes glowing green. He snapped and a green light shot out of him and around the room. It sealed off the doors ways and the entryways to the room, blocking all noise and light from the outside. I noticed that Zedd's glance seemed to linger of me, his metal fingertips wrapping around his staff. "Are you certain she can be trusted with this?" He asked, nodding towards me.

"Indeed, I am. She's my most trusted ally. I am certain the Ranger Slayer's loyalty is never wavering." Drakkon replied, moving closer to Zedd, his green eyes fading back to brown. "Now, what is the news you've brought me?"

"Nothing pleasant, I am afraid." Zedd replied. "I've searched across our galaxy and the ones surrounding us and I've been in contact with all of the great magic wielding beings I know. It seems that there is no way to recharge the morphing grid." My ears pricked up at that comment. Recharge the morphing grid? I was unaware that it was something that needed to happen. Drakkon shook his head.

"Nonsense. There has to be a way. What happened on Phados? I thought you had men searching for the Great Power there." He said, putting his hands on his hips.

"I did. The woman protecting the planet, Duclea, sacrificed it and herself to ensure it didn't fall into the wrong hands. We only found minor traces of it but not enough to power anything, let alone charge the grid like you need it to. Drakkon, I'm afraid that it's no use." Zedd lowered his voice and his staff. "We can keep taking the power we can from other world beings but eventually, it will run out. We need to begin finding resources besides the grid to power you." Drakkon hissed, pacing the floor.

"That's impossible! My powers come directly from my link to the morphing grid. There is no other way to power me. Without the grid, I will be powerless and more than likely die. There needs to be another way to tap into its power and recharge it. What about the power coins?"

"I've done my research. The only thing keeping the grid alive now is having the three power coins the two of you possess connected. By connecting the other ones, you will completely wipe out the power and the energy there. It's in a fragile state and doing anything to alter it will shatter all of our reality. Even if we wanted to, you are harboring too much energy with your two coins to move forward with the other coins. The grid will fall unless we find another way to gain control of it before it's potential is wasted."

"How long?" Drakkon asked, his voice lowering to almost a soft hush.

"Days. Weeks, if we're lucky." Zedd stated. "I have my greatest allies still looking for a way and another source of power. You will need to reserve what powers you do have to ensure they will last until we can replace it. Once we find a powerful enough power signature, we can repair the damage."

"Reserve my powers? Ha. More like look weak to my enemies. You will continue to find me power to hold me over until something else can charge me." Drakkon demanded, narrowing his eyes at Zedd. "I will not be ended like this because my servants are incompetant to do as they are told."

"Lord Drakkon, I'm telling you this for your own good. We're nothing without and if you have no powers, we will be left vulnerable to everyone. Save your humility and take heed now while you still can!" Zedd pleaded, holding tightly to his staff. "With the weight of our futures on your shoulders, you must remember what is at stake here."

"I'm well aware, Zedd." Drakkon replied, walking towards his throne. "I will do as I can to reserve power. I will also send you more men to help with your efforts. I expect you to report back to me in two days about your progress. Don't forget that I'm not the only one in this room that possess a great power." I saw Zedd prickle up as he realized what Drakkon meant. Lord Zedd did have a great deal of power in him, thanks to years of science and magic developing his position.

"Yes, Lord Drakkon. I will send word immediately." Zedd said, nodding. Drakkon lowered the force field around the room, noise returning like normal. The soldiers reappeared, waiting for Zedd by the doorway. Zedd headed towards them, stopping to turn back and look at Drakkon. "Take caution, Lord Drakkon. Your empire is counting on you."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hi everyone! Hope you're having a wonderful start to the weekend. I know it's been a while since I last posted and I apologize. But, here's a new chapter.

Also, I've got an announcement to make! At the end of October, my husband and I will be adopting! Some of you know that we were meant to adopt a son back in March but he passed away shortly after he was born. This baby fell into our lap like Jace did and seems like it will be more of a struggle this time around legally. It is a boy and he will be named Jack. I would appreciate any thoughts, prayers, good vibes, anything that will ensure his health and safety. We've decided to wait to tell everyone until he is here but I am DYING to tell SOMEBODY! And I know that you guys were safe to tell. I'm not going to lie about how petrified I am about all of this. I feel like I'm waiting on the edge of a cliff, waiting for bad news any day. Fingers crossed that this little guy will be here with no issues and ours to stay.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the following chapter! Please remember to R&R.

* * *

_**Kimberly**_

I wanted to punch Jason right in the goddamn teeth. It was all I could think about as we walked through the halls of the Command Center, following our battle with Rita's monster. She had been kind enough to wait until after Trini and Billy broke the news of the new dating policy before attack, making sure that Trini had mentioned that it had been Jason's idea to talk to the two of us separate. And it hadn't taken a rocket scientist to know that he had achieved talking to Tommy after the way he acted towards me throughout our fight. Tommy had been called to join after the monster proved to be too powerful for just us five. He kept his distance from me during the fight and then seemed to continue doing so even after the spandex was off. Now here at the Command Center, he took to walking next to Billy in the front instead of facing me. Jason walked behind them, giving me a glance now and then. If for one second he thought I wasn't going to injure him for this, he was dumber than I thought.

"Rangers! You did an excellent job today." Alpha called out as we walked into the control room of the Command Center. He was by the viewing globe, an image of the news playing on it. The news woman was discussing the battle and how hundreds were saved thanks to us. None of that really mattered to me right now as we came to a stop in the middle of the room.

"Alpha is correct. Rita's monsters have increased with difficulties. I fear that without Tommy's powers, we will be at risk of not being able to protect the Earth." Zordon said, appearing in his tube.

"Billy and I might just have the cure for that." Alpha said. For the first time since the battle, Tommy glanced over at me with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"You can fix my powers?" He asked, shifting to look at Billy. He looked relieved, knowing there was a way to save his powers. It was something that has been eating at him since he returned to our ranks. Tommy loved being a Ranger. Even more so after Rita's spell was broken. A part of me believes that he thinks it's the only way he can make up for his actions when he was under the spell. I've tried my hardest to make him see that it's not his fault what happened during that time. He never believes me, even though he says he does. I can see it in his eyes sometimes when they bring up his past on the news or when the guys talk about it. There is guilt in every feature where it shouldn't be. I don't think Tommy will ever be able to forgive himself for that time period but being on our team helped him feel better about it. He was a natural at this whole thing and deserved to be on the Rangers. Plus, his powers, though weakening, we stronger than the rest of ours. There are plenty of times we would have been toast if it weren't for him running to save the day. I really hoped that Billy was right about whatever he was about to show us. I couldn't imagine being on the Rangers without having Tommy here any more. When he was gone for that short time, it was hard to concentrate knowing we didn't have that kind of back up any more.

"Not fix them. Just recharge them without using Zordon's energy." He replied. Walking over to the control panel, Billy pressed a couple buttons on there. Something beeped loudly and two beams of light appeared next to the viewing globe. It was a bright, white light that seemed to light up every dark corner of the room. I shielded my eyes, not wanting to be blinded by the light. Sparks and crackling filled the room and the beams began to connect with more beams between them. The hair on my arms stood up straight, like there was static electricity in the room. It grew brighter and brighter, forcing me to close my eyes. It also sounded like the wind was howling in here like a hurricane, the loud noise filling my ears.

And suddenly, it all stopped.

Opening my eyes, I saw that the lights were gone as well as the noise. We lowered our arms, glancing at Billy who frowned, crossing his arms. Alpha scratched the top of his head, turning to look at the control panel.

"We have some more technical issues to work out still." Billy explained, fixing his glass. "Hopefully, Alpha and I will be able to redirect the necessary particles to keep the connection open longer than this."

"What was that, Billy?" Jason asked, stepping forwards towards where the light had been.

"The morphing grid." Billy replied, smiling. I felt my eyes grow wide, Trini having the same reaction as me as she stood next to me. "Or at least a portion of it."

"The morphing grid? As in where all our power comes from?" Zack asked. Billy nodded.

"Affirmative. Alpha has been able to assist me with tapping into the grid with the use of neuron receptors. Similar to those we use to teleport to the dark dimension. With the power of the grid being quite more extreme in the grid, I believe I'll be able to recharge Tommy's power coin again and again as needed."

"That's incredible, Billy!" Trini exclaimed, smiling at me.

"It really is. I'll be able to be a ranger for much longer now, right?" Tommy asked.

"Well, don't thank me yet. We will need to attempt the charge on your power coin. That will probably take hours if you are alright maintaining a presence here for a while." Billy replied. Tommy nodded.

"Sure. Anything to help."

"I think it might be best if we all hang around." Jason said, stepping forward. "We can get some training in and help out Billy if need be." Of course. Anything to make sure Tommy was nowhere alone so I could talk to him without prying eyes. There was a collective nod from all of us.

"Terrific. Jason and Trini, could you help me with the molecular decordizors? We've kept them with the zords since the last time we needed to utilize them." Billy asked, pointing towards the doorway that led to the hangar of the zords. The two nodded.

"You going to be okay?" Trini asked in a hushed voice, glancing at me. I nodded.

"I'm going to go work out." I replied, giving her a small smile. I knew she was fearful I was upset with her. I wasn't. At first, I was mad at all of them as a group. Now, I knew my anger should be directed at our fearless leader in red. Fearless was a joke. The kid was afraid of the dark until we were about eleven. And don't even get me started with his bed wetting. That went until we were like nine. I wanted to remind him of these things and much, much more since he wanted to throw his authority around. I had a nice long speech planned out for him when I was able to corner him and he oughta know that by now.

"Okay." She squeezed my shoulder before following behind Jason and Billy. I didn't say anything as I turned and walked out of the control room, taking a right in the hallway. I knew Zack would probably offer them a hand as well and for Tommy, he was probably going to do whatever he could to avoid me.

Walking to the the girls room of the Command Center, I went to the closet area. Trini and I have private quarters much like the boys do. The only difference is that there's only two of us in here instead of the four of them. Everything was a sterile gray color including the bedding on the cots that seemed to float in the air. Reaching into the closet, I pulled out a pair of black tights and a long pink tank top that I slipped into. I shoved my feet back into my sneakers and headed out of the room, walking up the hallways towards the gym. It was three doors down from our room, also a gray color. I entered, turning the lights on and shutting the door behind me. Weights and machines were lined around the room, evidence that the boys were here recently. There was also a punching bag that hung from the ceiling, the heavy chain holding it in place. I stretched my arms above my head and my legs to the sides of me, making sure my muscles were ready. They were still warmed up from our fight, the burn still there.

Reaching my arm back, I punched the bag as hard as I could. I instantly thought of Jason and how gratifying it would be to do that to his nose. Really? He was trying to tell Tommy and I that we couldn't date? He had been the one who told me to go for it when he came back! He had even helped me watch like four hours of karate movies to try to learn something to talk to Tommy about. It was boring and I hated every minute of it but he still helped me do it. How was he really going to lecture us on not dating when he's had a secret thing for Trini since we were twelve? If that wasn't the pot calling the kettle black, I didn't know what was. How on Earth was us dating putting the world at risk? It wasn't like Rita didn't know who we were already. She sent Tommy to Jason and I directly, hoping for him to target us when he was under his spell. What did it matter if we were in a relationship?

The more I thought about it, the more I abused the punching bag. Sweat was beginning to form on my forehead and upper lip with each movement I made, the bag swinging from the impact. Trini had mentioned that it had something to do with Zordon. Did it? Had he been the one who told Jason we weren't allowed to date other Rangers? I felt like that should have been a rule in the beginning, clearly stated somewhere then. Like hey, while you're putting your neck on the line as teenagers, trying not to fall for any of your team mates. It would have been really useful then.

That was a lie. I knew I was in love with Tommy the first time I laid eyes on him. Everyone knew that too. They were there. There was something about that muscled kid in the green shirt that just did something for me that I couldn't explain. Every time I thought about Tommy, my heart fluttered. He was sweet, caring, brave, funny, and the most down to Earth person I'd ever met. He was different than all the other guys at school and more private. He was quiet too, something I think comes from moving so much as a kid. By the time his parents settled here, he had been enrolled in over twenty school since he started going to school. Tommy Oliver wasn't your average teenage boy. Even Rita saw that. It was why she picked him as her prized fighter. I've always suspected she found him handsome like I do but never had the proof. Plus, the idea would make Tommy want to vomit more than likely. Everything about her made his skin crawl.

Tommy's powers were threatened after he joined our team. Rita put a spell on a green candle, making his powers drain while it burned. We tried like hell to stop it but in the end, she won that fight. His powers were gone and he was off the team. I feared the end of whatever was budding between us but instead, he kissed me. I was on cloud 9, fully prepared to live there forever. After that, we had some awkward little dates but they were great. He went to stay at his uncle's cabin for a couple weeks, him not dealing with the loss of his powers well. We were surprised by him returning, Zordon finding a way to recharge his powers to help us save our parents. He saved our asses - yet again. He came back on borrowed time, knowing his powers were not going to last forever. He still agreed and I was happy to have him fighting by my side again.

With his return, it seems like we picked things right back up. The awkwardness was gone and we were closer than before. Tommy and I spend pretty much all of our time together, in between classes and after school. When we're not fighting monsters, we are typically together. Usually it's with our friends but we still find times where it's just the two of us. Those were the times that I lived for. Tommy was much more open at this time, telling me things about him that he says he's never told anyone. He will hold my hand when we walk during these periods as well, the whole world seemed to fade away when we're together. Something inside of me told me that Tommy was just the person I didn't realize I was looking for. I know at fifteen, thinking that we're soul mates is stupid but I have trouble finding ways to describe it without those words. We just clicked well together like pieces to a puzzle.

Why was that such a bad thing?

Before Tommy came to town, I had all but given up on the idea of love. With my parents ugly as fuck divorce, I knew that there was no such thing as a perfect relationship. All that changed though when Tommy came into the picture. I know we're not in an actual relationship but this is the most real and perfect thing in my life I've got going for me. I can almost picture the two of us as end game, married with two kids and the house with the fence in front. I know it's crazy and absurd but I can't help but think of it like that. Trini says it's just the whole idea of a first love but I don't buy that. This is different.

"I hope you're not picturing that as me." A voice said from the door way behind me as I finished drilling the punching bag in the area I imagined Jason's face would be. I stopped, glancing over my shoulder. I was a bit surprised to see Tommy standing there, leaning against the doorway. It was apparent he had been watching me for a while from his posture.

"Not unless you're siding with Jason." I replied, turning back to kick the bag one last time. I grabbed a clean towel from the rack next to the door and wiped the sweat from my face and neck. "And judging by the way you've been avoiding me, I'm going to guess you do."

"No." He replied, standing up straight. "I don't."

"So, you're going to go against it?" I questioned. He sighed, shaking his head.

"We can't, Kim." He said, softly. "I know it's shitty but maybe they have a point." I scoffed, rolling my eyes as I turned away from him.

"Unbelievable. I can't understand how you think they're right. Rita knows exactly who we all are! If she wanted to, she could use any of us against the other. What difference does it make whether we're dating or not? And what about Zack and Angela? Or Jason and Trini for that matter?"

"I asked the same questions. I was told that it wasn't the same and that because we both have Power Coins at risk to lose, it was more dangerous." Tommy stepped towards me as I sat on the bench in the room. "I hate this."

"Coulda fooled me." I muttered, not looking up from my sneakers. He dropped to his knees in front of me, inching closer.

"Kim, besides the Rangers, you're the best thing I've got going in my life. I love spending as much time as I can with you. You're important to me. And I wish I could explain why this sudden change of the rules is happening but I can't." Reaching out, he put his hands gingerly on my knees. "All I know is that I can't just stop liking you. And I don't want to stop, either." I raised my gaze to look at him.

"What?" I asked.

"I don't want us to stop. This is just the start of something new and I don't want to give up now." He stood up and sat on the bench next to me, holding my hands in his. "Do you?"

"Of course not. I want to be with you, Tommy. I like you. A lot. And I don't want the others to have to worry about their safety because of us. Them knowing we are in a relationship could be dangerous." I replied.

"Well," he said, raising his eyebrows. "What if they didn't know?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if they didn't know we were still seeing each other?" He asked, sliding towards me. "If we can keep our identities a secret, I think we can keep this quiet too. At least for now."

"Wouldn't that be sneaking behind their backs though? They should be able to trust us."

"They should trust us now with this. It doesn't have to be forever. Only long enough to show them that the world won't stop spinning if we decide to be together. Or for my powers to run out. There's no guarantee that Billy's invention will work. For all we know, it could fail and I stop being a ranger tomorrow. My feelings for you won't fade away like that. That's the only thing I'm sure of." I shifted, bringing my leg over the bench so I was straddling it. Tommy did the same, moving closer so that his legs were on the outside of mine. "I'd understand if you don't want to do this. It's lying and it's not fair of me to ask."

"The only unfair part about it was the angry speech I had planned for you. You just smashed those plans right from under me." I replied, smiling at him. He chuckled, stroking the top of my hand with his thumb.

"I'll let you yell at me if you want anyway. I'm sure I deserve it somehow."

"Give it time." Leaning in, I pressed my lips against his lightly. Pulling away, I smiled up at him. "Okay. I'm in if you're in."

"Our little secret." He kissed me quickly before standing. "I gotta go find Billy. Him and Alpha think they might have figured it out. They are going to test it."

"I'll come with you." I said, standing as well. "I really hope this is the answer tog etting your powers completely back, Tommy. I know how important this is for you."

"I hope so too. I have all the faith in the world in Billy. If he thinks this is going to work, I have no doubt that it will. With Alpha and Zordon's help, it should do the trick." We started walking towards the door.

"Do you feel like Zordon might be behind the reason Jason and the guys had to speak to us?" I questioned, stopping by the door. He stopped too, glancing in the hall.

"Yeah. I got the sense when I was here waiting to get the call to assist. I'm not too sure about his reasons but I really do believe it was Zordon."

"It's so odd that he never mentioned it to us all before. Maybe he isn't hip to the way teens work these days yet."

"More than likely. Either way, he can't stop what he doesn't know. Zordon isn't capable of knowing all." Tommy ran a hand over the top of his head. "Just something feel...off about all of this. I can't put my finger on it but I have this gut feeling." Reaching over, I put a hand on his bicep.

"Everything will be fine, Tommy. We might not agree with him but Zordon wouldn't do something unless it was for our best interest. He'd never do it just to spite us. At least I hope not." Tommy sighed, nodding.

"You're right. I just wish I could shake this feeling."

"C'mon." I said, stepping into the hallway and pulling him by the hand. "Let's see about those powers, shall we?"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Let me start off by saying how much of an ass I feel like for taking a MONTH to update. I am SO sorry for such a delay. With the baby coming, it's been hectic as hell. I've also had the worst case of writer's block but I was finally able to push through to give you guys something. Again, I apologize and feel free to yell at me in the reviews.

As always, I own nothing Power Rangers.

* * *

_**Drakkon**_

I could feel it inside of me from the moment I woke this morning. It was a slow start, my legs wobbling as I went to stand. My body wanted to buckled but I gripped the corner of the bed tightly, not willing myself to do so. My vision blurred, the lines of the objects in front of me weaving together as my head spun. I closed my eyes, swearing under my breath. It took a moment for it to stop, my eyes feeling irritated as I opened them again, strands of my hair hanging in my face. I felt winded, my heart thumping in my chest and I was panting. Sweat appeared in a thin layer on my skin and the temperature of the room rose. At first glance, one would assume I had just competed in a marathon or was suffering from the flu. I wasn't. I knew what this was and irritation ran through me.

As I steadied myself, I walked over to the chair by the dresser and nearly flung myself into it. I ached from the recovery, the power inside of me seeming to pulsate as it tried to regenerate. It was trying to regain its strength, absorbing whatever it could to do this. I rested my elbows on my knees and my face in my hands as I slowed my heart rate. This was the third time this week I had woken like this, this time being the worse. Now, I was experiencing times throughout the day where I would feel faint or drained. The worse coming last night during my briefing of the other generals under my control. The world had started to tilt and I thought for sure I would end up face down. Thankfully, the Ranger Slayer was present to assist me with a way out before this occurred. I was able to make it to another chamber before falling to my knees.

My powers were failing.

This was happening just as rapidly as Zedd had suggested. I may have been the foolish one for not believing him when he spoke, I realized. It had been a week since our conversation and I felt like I had aged five decades since that day. My powers were draining the very life from me and at this rate, I didn't see myself being able to last much longer. This thought made something flare in my stomach and it took me a while to recognize that it was fear. I was terrified at the thought of dying, my hold on the world fading with my death. This couldn't occur. I had worked hard, fought hard, and conquered all of this. It couldn't go to waste because of this. I wouldn't allow it. It didn't matter what I had to do to stop it either.

Zedd had brought me some powerful beings from other planets, promising them safety in return for their help. When they couldn't offer any type of solution, I killed them and absorbed what power they did possess. It wasn't much but made it last a few days longer. That option was still available though I lacked other powerful beings. The only creatures around her came nowhere close to the power I would need. The only other creature that I could potentially use in this case was Lord Zedd who was smart enough to keep his distance unless he had another person to sacrifice.

And the Ranger Slayer.

That thought had come to mind a number of times in the last few days. With her power coin and her connection to the Grid, she absorbed nearly close to the amount of power I originally did as the green ranger. Her power coin would be enough to give me a power supply, though it only temporary. I couldn't bring myself to do this though. She was still Kimberly, the person who held my heart in a vice. Without her, my main purpose for taking over the world would be gone. I hated having any kind of weakness but Kimberly was my strongest one. Making her mine was the reason I agreed to join Rita's quest. She never would have loved me if I hadn't earned all of this and placed a spell on her. She would be dead with the rest of them, fighting for a lost cause. The thought of her perishing made my stomach hurt and I brushed the idea away. I wouldn't absorb her. Not even if I prevented my death.

"_I'm Tommy."_

"_Kimberly. Thank you for your help."_

"_Anytime. Those guys are creeps."_

"_They sure are. You're new around here, right?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_A bunch of us are getting together after school at the youth center to hang out. Want to come along and meet some new people?"_

"_That'd be great. See you then."_

I growled at the memory. It was another thing that came with my powers draining. My mind kept going back to the past. To the time where I was that pathetic weakling. Tommy Oliver. How useless I had been then, unknowing just how much control I would have on the world. He had other things on his mind that homework and Kim. I was naïve, unable to comprehend just what I was destined for. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like if I hadn't joined Rita's side and then took over. I would be something my current self would squash like a bug, a teeny tiny speck of nothingness that Kimberly would never love.

"Are you alright?" The Ranger Slayer's soft voice asked from the doorway of the room. I looked up, not hearing her enter. I nodded, leaning on the arm of the chair.

"I'm fine." I said, not having it in me to yell at her for entering without knocking. I moved to stand but fell back in the chair again. She was at my side in a moment, holding on to my elbow gingerly. I swatted her away, leaning back against the chair. "I said I'm fine."

"It's getting worse." She said, kneeling in front of me. "You're pale and you look like you've seen a ghost. Perhaps you should stay in bed." She offered. Kim's compassion. It was something I loved about her even though it wasn't warranted in her current reign in our empire.

"No. I have duties to perform and a land to rule." I replied, pulling myself to my feet. Holding on to the dresser, I moved passed her and over to the window that overlooked the south part of Angel Grove. In the sky, I could make out the incoming swarm of ships. We were having a round table meeting today to discuss our options going against the rebels in space. The fighting had increased, regardless of our efforts. It was time for something to happen to remind those who was truly in charge. I was to lead the fighting in just a few days' notice, taking Goldar and our fleet to kill whatever stood in our way. I was unsure how this would happen when I could barely hold my own weight, let alone that of my armor and weapons. I would look weak, making our entire army easy to destroy.

"You'll be unable to rule anything if you are unable to breathe." She stressed, standing. I leaned against the stone wall next to the window and closed my eyes. There was pure exhaustion in my entire body and I wished for something to give me strength. "Lord Drakkon, please. I'm begging you. We need you here. I need you here."

"That's enough." I whispered, opening my eyes to glance at her over my shoulder. For a moment, I didn't see the eyes of my most loyal subject. My most talented assassin. My most trusted ally. Instead, I saw soft doe brown eyes that gazed up at me the same way they did in the hallway 15 years ago after I saved her from those baboons, Bulk and Skull. The Kimberly I had fallen in love with that I yearned for all these years. "Have them change the meeting to my throne room. I will sit during the meeting and release them before they become aware of my situation."

"Lord Drakkon, I really wish you would reconsider." She said softly.

"I said-." I moved to yell at her but something suddenly ruptured inside of me. It made me gasp loudly, the sound of a million bombs exploding filling my ears. I could feel my eyes glow a brilliantly bright green color as my head was tossed back. I noticed that the Ranger Slayer was also being affected by something. Her eyes glowed pink, her hair glowing to the ends as well. Her eyes and mouth were open wide, an almost silent scream on her face as something came over the both of us. I tried to speak but couldn't, whatever that was holding us taking complete control. There was a warm feeling inside of my chest that was getting increasingly hotter, close to that of burning. I balled my hands into fists, trying to force the feeling away. It was soothing, energizing almost. The memory of receiving my powers the first time when Rita had me placed under her spell came to mind. This was the same feeling of unlimited power absorbing into every cell of my body. I was certain I would lift the moon with one hand if I wanted to. Again, I was the most powerful being in the universe.

As quickly as it came, it was gone. Both of us were tossed to the ground, the Slayer landing in a heap a few feet away from me. She was able to regain her composure faster than I, running over to me. "What was that?" She asked, helping me to my feet. I suddenly felt stronger. Stronger than I had in months. As if I had just absorbed a power coin from another ranger. I could feel the color in my face again and feel the raw power bubbling inside of me. Lifting my hands, I willed them to glow green. They did, illuminating brightly. My powers were recharged.

"I'm not sure but whatever it was, I like it." I said, smiling as I gazed at my hands. Behind us, I heard the muffled footsteps of Goldar. He appeared moments later in my doorway.

"Sire! Lord Zedd is here with urgent news. Something has occurred."

"You can say that again." I heard the Ranger Slayer mumble behind me.

"Send him in." I replied. Goldar shook his head.

"He requested to see you on the balcony. I think this would be wise, sire."

Minutes later, I was changed from my sleep attire into a pair of blck slacks and a green long sleeved shirt. Walking briskly, I made my way from my chambers to the throne room. This was the only way to reach the balcony, the doorway located in the south part of the throne room. The Slayer had gone before me to retrieve Zedd, ensuring he was there when I arrived. As I swept into the room, I used my powers to seal off the room and the balcony from prying eyes and ears. I spotted Zedd standing near the railing of the balcony next to the Ranger Slayer. To my surprise, I saw that something was illuminating the space between them. Something extremely bright and filled with intense energy.

"What's this?" I asked, stopping next to them.

"This is the morphing grid." Zedd replied. I shook my head.

"It can't be. I've seen it before. It has never been this bright." I replied. Zedd nodded, taking his staff in his right hand.

"Something has recharged it in a way that hasn't been seen in many years. We picked up on the energy signatures on our way back here. The readings were unbelievable. Something is tapping into the Morphing Grid that isn't supposed to be there and is making it stronger." Zedd poked the bright light with the Z of his staff and it sparked, dots of energy exploding into the air.

"This is good, right? We will be able to charge Drakkon fully then." The Slayer said, looking hopeful. Zedd shook his head.

"We are unsure of what is causing this energy. If we try to tamper with it, it could fracture the entire grid itself. We can't do anything if we don't know what the source is."

"How do we do that?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Someone will need to venture into the grid itself." I replied, putting my hands on my hips. "Someone with a power coin."

"Go into the grid? Is that even humanly possible?" The Slayer asked, looking confused. Zedd nodded, stepping closer to me.

"It is. It's never been done before at this magnitude but it is possible. If someone goes into the grid, they will be transported to the source of the power. When the source is located, we will be able to control it."

"And then control the grid." I finished for him. He nodded, holding a fist in the air.

"This is the type of power you will need to be able to survive."

"I'm aware." I stated. "I'm going in."

"No." Zedd said, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous to send you, Lord Drakkon. If anything were to occur, you will be lost to our empire and our efforts."

"I'll do it." The Ranger Slayer said. "I have a power coin. I can go in and do what needs to be done." I eyed her for a moment, wondering if she would be able to withstand the power that resides in the grid. It was one thing to have it in you with a power coin. It was another to be indirect contact with it at such a raw capacity. She gave me a determined look, her brown eyes holding mine. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, a curl slipping down the side of her face.

"Do you think that would be wise?" Zedd asked, trying to keep his voice hushed. I glared at him, his constant questioning of the Slayer getting on my nerves.

"She's the only other person in our universe with a power coin. There is no other option left, now is there?" I asked, a hint of nasty in my voice. I turned back to the Slayer. "We will have Finster prepare your weapons so they will be able to withstand the power in there. All you need to do is find the source and bring it back here. If something should go wrong, report back here and we can regroup." She nodded.

"Yes, Lord Drakkon."

"Kill whatever or whoever has the source." I stated, reaching out and running a finger down her cheek. "I'm trusting you with my life. Do not let me down."

"I won't." I turned back to Zedd who was gazing at the portal.

"Lord Zedd, we will meet with the other commanders and tell them of this new development. Goldar will take my place alongside you with leading the charge to the outer limits of the galaxy. As before, do not state any of the affairs dealing with my powers. Since we are unsure of how long this will last, I do not want others to know. Is that clear?"

"Yes, my lord." Zedd said, bowing his head.

"Leave us." I said to him. He nodded, walking from the balcony and into the throne room. I waited until I knew he was gone before turning to the SLayer. Her eyes were transfixed on the portal in front of her, the light dancing off the orbs of her eyes. It illuminated her face with an almost angelic glow.

"Are you certain you trust me with this?" She asked, casting her eyes towards me. I nodded, folding my arms in front of me.

"I am. You are the only person I would trust this with." I stepped closer. "The power of the morphing grid is tremendous and it's uncontrollable. There is a good chance that you may die once you enter. Even with a power coin, there is no ensuring that you will be safe. I will instruct Finster to increase the protection of your armor for this. Once you are through, get back here with the source."

"Yes, Lord Drakkon." She said, bowing her head.

"And Ranger Slayer, do keep in mind that if you fail me, I will have no choice but to punish you. And I don't mean in the way you enjoy. This is a critical situation and I will not have the likes of you destroying my empire due to your incompetence to complete a task. Do you understand?"

"Yes." She said, her voice faltering slightly.

"Good. I would be a shame to have to kill you."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Tommy**_

When Kimberly and I returned to the control portion of the Command Center, we found Billy being assisted by Jason and Trini with setting up the molecular decoders. Or, whatever the hell he called them. Half the time, Billy speaks and I'm not exactly sure what he's saying. They placed them in the empty space where he had summoned the morphing grid before, securing them into place. I made sure to keep a fair distance from Kim as we approached, not wanting anyone to think we had just come from doing anything inappropriate. Annoyance pulsed over me for a moment before I shook it away. I didn't have time to think about that right now. We had a plan and the important part was making sure I was going to be able to get my powers back. I couldn't imagine not being part of the team again. And the thought of Kim fighting without me there scared me. It was almost frightening how much I cared about her. I've never felt this way about anyone before but Kim made me want to smile and run for the hills in the same breath.

"Tommy, as the portal appears, you'll need to pass through to re-energize your powers." Alpha said, pressing buttons on the control panel behind Billy.

"Is this safe?" Kim asked, a look of worry on her face. Billy glanced up and for the first time, he looked like he didn't know the answer to her question.

"It's uncertain the effects. I suggest morphing before proceeding." He replied, securing his glasses. I nodded, grabbing my Morpher from behind me. It was clipped on to the back of my pants, where it was kept all the time to protect it.

"Dragonzord!" I called out, holding the Morpher out in front of me. There was a green flash, though dimmer than it usually was. Energy zapped through me but this also felt weaker. I felt light-headed, holding my footing as the green Ranger uniform appeared. My powers were fading and fast. I didn't have the heart to tell the others just how quickly they were draining now. It was like living on borrowed time, unsure if I would have a chance tomorrow to use them. For some reason, that scared me more than I rationally thought it should. I was unsure of the reasoning but when my eyes drifted towards Kimberly, I knew the answer lies in those doe brown eyes.

"Please be careful." She said, clasping her hands together in front of her. Reaching out, I put a hand on her shoulder. I knew everyone was watching but I didn't care for the moment.

"It'll be alright, Kim," I said, smiling so she could hear it in my voice. I turned to Billy. "I'm ready."

"Prepare the portal, Alpha." Billy said, turning a dial on the side of one of the poles. Alpha nodded, pushing buttons and entering information on the control panel. Slowly, I let go of Kim's shoulder and squared up with the space where the portal had materialized before. In the air, there seemed to be a static energy building. I could see the air on Kim and Trini's head start to stand up and I felt my own try to do the same under the helmet. "Brace yourselves." Billy said. There was a loud crackling noise and white beams of energy shone brightly between the two pillars. The visor of my helmet helped a little with the brightness but I still found myself squinting. Everyone else shielded their eyes as the portal appeared fully in front of us. Reaching down, I grabbed my Morpher between my hands and ensured it was in place.

"Tommy, step into the morphing grid." Zordon's voice boomed. Taking a deep breath, I did as he said. I stepped forward, letting the light absorb me. As I breathed, it felt like someone had picked me up and dipped me into a vat of hot wax. It was warm but not painful. It seemed to seep into my skin like a warm bath. I closed my eyes, taking it all in. This was different than morphing or when I first received the Green Power Coin. This was raw energy. The pure, raw, powerful energy that licked at my core with a delicious sensation. There was a roaring sound that was filling my ears, making it hard to hear anything else. It was as if a train was right behind me, rattling on it's tracks. I was almost certain that if I turned around, I would see it racing by with it's clacking going with it.

"The power…" A voice whispered. I heard it and it felt like the lips of the voice were right on my earlobe. I flinched, trying to bat whatever it was away. "The power wishes to have you back, Tommy."

"Who are you?" I called out, wincing from the noise and the bright light. Was someone else in here with me? Was this an illusion of some sort? I opened my eyes and tried to look around. It was no use. The brightness was too overpowering for me to be able to see anything. The most I could see were wavy lines shooting straight up and down, much like the ones that we teleport with. The hair on my arms stood up straight as the power circled around me. In the deafening noise, I could almost hear the distinct calls of our dinosaur powers that we use for our own. Now and then, I knew there was a sharp cry of a pterodactyl in the distance.

"Tommy Oliver, the destined one." The voice whispered. "Come to take your place with us."

"What do you mean?" I called. There was no answer though and I felt the power signature begin to change. It felt faster and more urgent to fill my body. My heart thundered in my chest as I did my best to absorb it. My entire body started to vibrate and my skin grew white-hot. I thought for sure that at any moment, I would burst into flames.

"The destined one. The destined one. The destined one." The voice chanted, more voices seeming to appear to chant along. The volume grew even louder and I found myself gripping my helmet in hopes of keeping it from blowing my eardrums out. Nausea slammed into me from the sensory overload and I suddenly wished I hadn't volunteered to do this. Every part of me began to feel stretched out, like one of those dolls that they showed in the commercials on the verge of being split into two pieces. A cry admitted from me as I tried to hold myself together.

Then, everything stopped. Like turning the switch on a television, all of the loud noise and the pain just vanished. Opening my eyes, I saw I was still in the bright whiteness but it wasn't blinding. In fact, it was more calming than anything. I found myself standing on an invisible platform, the whiteness seeming to flow up and down around me for miles in either direction. The energy was buzzing, the streams of it bumping into each other. Streaks of different colors would go by, matching the colors of our powers. I noticed that the green streaks didn't go away, rather they floated around me. Their collective energy made me feel stronger, the Morpher on my waist rattling as the power coin charged.

"Tommy, you are a fool for coming here." A voice said. It felt like it was all around but also nowhere at the same time.

"Why?" I called out, looking around for a source.

"When two worlds collide, only one may rule." It replied. "You must return to your world and seal off all connection to this portal or your world will be in grave danger."

"Danger from what?" What was this voice getting at? Was there going to be some backlash from us fooling around with the grid like this? Billy had said it would be dangerous going in. Was this why? Were we tempting fate by meddling with something we've never meddled with before?

"I cannot speak of the future. It is against the laws of our galaxy, Tommy Oliver. You must return and prepare."

"Prepare for what?" I asked again, growing increasingly more annoyed by the vagueness of the answers this voice was giving me.

"Prepare for the end." There was a rumbling noise and the green lights around me began to fizzle. Much like that of a fuse on a stick of dynamite, they appeared to burn down to nothing. Directly following this, the loud noises began again and there was a flash of the white light. It was so powerful, I was tossed backward off my feet. Instinctively, my eyes squeezed shut as I collided into the hard floor.

"Tommy!" Kimberly's voice cried from somewhere far away. It took a moment for my ears to adjust from being out of the loudness, my eyes opening. I was staring up at the ceiling of the Command Center, Kimberly appearing above me with Billy by her side. I could see their lips moving but not hear what they were saying clearly. I blinked, trying to get my bearings. The rushing noise in my ears ebbed away and now, I could hear Kim asking me if I was okay.

"Yeah." I sputtered out, nodding my head. It felt like I was spinning, my senses becoming clear. I moved to sit up but Billy kept a hand on my shoulder, holding me in place.

"We need to stabilize your molecular makeup." He stated, holding a weird-looking device in his hand. He pressed a button and a yellow light lit upon it. The light shot out, coating me. It didn't feel like anything was happening at first but slowly, I felt myself return back to normal. There was no buzzing feeling and no thundering in my ears. Reaching up, I unclasped my helmet and pulled it off, letting it roll off to the side. The cold sweat pouring down my face and neck seemed to pool more freely without the helmet on. "There. You should be fine now."

"That was intense," I said, pushing myself up so I was sitting up. "Did it work?"

"I guess we will find out in a moment." Billy said, holding his free hand out. I pulled the morpher from my waist, my uniform disappearing as I did. I handed it over to him and he stood, heading over to the control panel. I shifted so that I was looking at Kim, who was still knelt down next to me.

"Are you alright?" She asked, looking worried. I nodded.

"I'm fine, Kim." I replied, giving her a small smile.

"What happened in there?" Trini questioned. I winced as I went to stand, Kim reaching out and helping me.

"It was so bright and so powerful. I couldn't even make sense of anything going on. But then, it all sort of just stopped. There was this weird voice and it kept talking to me about something that was coming." I said, trying to recall everything the best I could.

"It was warning you?" Jason asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Warning you about what?"

"I haven't the slightest idea. I kept asking for more information but it wouldn't answer me. It just kept saying to prepare and that I was the 'Destined One' or something like that." I rubbed the back of my head, my fingers sinking into my hair. "I honestly have no clue what was going on and then I was blasted back here."

"Try to not let that go to your head." Jason mused, smirking at me. I let out a little laugh, shaking my head. "I'm sure it was nothing, bro. I mean, the Grid has to have something protecting it, right? It could have been how it keeps people or whatever from going in there and trying to steal power. What do you think, Zordon?" Jason raised his head, looking up at Zordon.

"The Morphing Grid is known for using this type of technique in keeping those who wish to steal all the power from it. I believe Jason is correct." Zordon replied. "You were brave for going into the Grid, Tommy. Great work, Rangers."

"Great work indeed," Billy said, turning to smile at me. "The Dragon coin has been completely recharged. Your powers will be able to last for quite a while now."

"That's the best news I've heard all day." I said as Billy held my Morpher out to me. Jason patted me on the back while Trini clapped her hands together.

"I guess we'll have to take down those hiring signs now." Jason said. I let out a loud laugh now, feeling relieved. For the first time in a while, I wasn't worried about my powers failing. Everything had actually worked out for once. I glanced over at Kim who was smiling brightly at me. I would give anything to kiss her right now but I knew I couldn't. I would just have to wait until later to celebrate with her.

"Hey. You got a second?" Jason's voice asked as I pulled my backpack from the locker in our rooms at the Command Center. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing him standing in the doorway. I nodded, closing the locker door.

"I'm not sure. Last time you said that to me, I ended up having to be single." I replied, shrugging my backpack on. He nodded, glancing down at his shoes.

"I know. That's kind of what I want to talk to you about. You okay, man? I really do feel awful about how everything went down about that. You gotta know that I wish it didn't have to be this way." He said, a sincere look on his face. I knew he didn't. Jason didn't have it in him to be that cold-hearted or mean towards either Kim or I. He was just doing his best to protect not just the world but also his team that he was the leader of.

"I get it, Jase. It's fine. Kim and I talked. We're just going to wait and see what happens. I don't think you should cross her path any time soon but we're cool." He groaned, scratching his forehead. I smirked, enjoying his dismay. I was supposed to be meeting Kim shortly. She and Trini had left about an hour ago to work on some homework together. I was looking forward to seeing her and actually getting time to spend together. I still wasn't too thrilled about it being so secretive but it added a bit of flair to it.

"I knew she'd be pissed at me. Look, I tried to convince Zordon that there had to be another way about this. I don't see the harm in the two of you dating as long as Rita doesn't have a clue. I like the two of you together. Who knows what loser she might be interested in if not? But he was dead set against you guys being together while you were on the team." I raised an eyebrow at him, his reply seeming odd.

"He was?" Jason nodded, glancing over his shoulder behind him. When the coast was clear, he stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.

"Oh, yeah. He demanded Zack and I talk to you today about it. Then when I tried to convince him otherwise, he nearly ripped my head off about it. I'm not sure why the sudden change but I just know that he wasn't having it any other way. I've never seen Zordon so angry before. It was like he was a different version of himself or something."

"He talked to be after you guys teleported out of here to fight that monster. He said there would be fatal consequences if I continued to see Kimberly that he couldn't explain. He wouldn't tell me anything more though." Jason sighed, sitting down on the bench next to us.

"That doesn't sound too ominous or anything." He rubbed his face with his hands before running his fingers through his shorter locks. It made the front stand up slightly in a bushy fashion.

"Do you sometimes think that Zordon doesn't have our best interests at heart?" I asked in a low tone, fearful the floating head would hear me. "Like he doesn't care about us as long as the world is okay?"

"Sometimes, maybe. We do have a responsibility here though, Tommy. It's our job to make sure the world is saved before we matter. It's part of being a ranger and everything." He replied. I nodded, sticking my hands into the pockets of my sweats. I should have known that Jason would feel that way. He was all business when it came to being a Power Ranger. He was born for this kind of life and it was clear as to why Zordon had made him the leader. It was the smartest choice he could have made.

"I get that but ever since I joined the team, it feels like Zordon could give two shits about whether I'm here or not. He doesn't act like I'm an actual part of the team like the rest of you. Unless there's a need for my powers, I'm the farthest thing from his mind. Especially with my powers draining. But now, all of a sudden he is so highly concerned with my life and my relationship with Kim? Why? What's different now?" Jason looked at me, his eyebrows furrowed like he was hearing me for the very first time.

"You're right." He said, standing. "I thought I was seeing things at first that's why I didn't say anything about it. I always thought it was because Rita made you a Ranger and not him. Just the way he talks to you always makes me feel a bit off, you know? But now, something is different and it doesn't seem like Zordon wants to let us in on it." He crossed his arms, glancing around the room.

"I know. And for the first time, I'm not sure how much we can trust him." I said.

"Me either."

"So, what now?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I think our best course of action is to just keep going on like nothing is happening. Things around here don't tend to stay secret for long. I'm sure if something is going on with Zordon, we will find out one way or another. Maybe it would be best for us to keep this between us right now. I don't want to cause a mutiny against Zordon by involving the others. This could just be him overreacting to teenagers dating or something stupid like that. He hasn't actually been on Earth in person in thousands of years. He might just be out of touch with reality or something. I'm going to talk to Billy to see what he thinks. He spends the most time here. He'd know better than anyone if something is going on with Zordon or not."

"What if there is something?" I questioned. Jason glanced at me and for the first time since I met him, there was no confidence behind his expression.

"I haven't got a fucking clue."


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Hello everyone! I want to apologize for such a long absence since my last update. It is for very good reason however. Our son, Jack, was born on October 30th. He was 8 pounds, 8 ounces and was healthy as could be. We couldn't be any happier! We are still going through the whole adoption part with some minor hiccups from his parents but overall, things have been great! We watch Power Rangers together every Saturday morning. Gotta start them young, right? Hahaha.  
**_

_**So here is chapter 7. This fic is going to be on break until after the holidays while I work on something special. I promise that now that I'm getting back into the swing of things, there won't be such a long break between chapters when it comes back in January. **_

_**As always, thank you for reading and reviewing. I own nothing Power Rangers. And thank you all for hanging on for me ever so patiently!**_

* * *

_**Ranger Slayer**_

The sound of humming came from Finster, the white rat shaped being that stood in front of me. The humming was something he enjoyed doing as he worked, something I've learned from being here for as long as I have. He made quick work of attaching my armor to me, the reinforced plates glistening in the candlelight. He had done well, making sure that each part that was meant to protect my torso and my forearms was structured to do the job correctly. He had even gone the extra steps by making it match my uniform, the dark pink and black design popping in the pale light. Stepping back, he observed his work.

"I hope this will work for you." He said, bowing his head. Reaching up, he adjusted the glasses on his snout. "With such short notice, I could only craft these."

"It'll work perfect, Finster. Thank you." I replied, giving him a reassuring smile. There was something about the little craftsman that made my heart warm. I wasn't sure if it was because I knew I could squash him like a bug or what but he was the only creature here that I didn't find completely repulsive. He was kind, caring, and extremely loyal to Drakkon. It was one of the main reasons he was still alive. Drakkon considered him one of the most valuable members of his council. I often wonder if he would allow me to die before Finster.

"I've also recoated your bow to allow it to be more functional whatever dimension you may find yourself in." He stated, walking over to his workshop table. He picked up my bow and headed back over to me. When I first joined Drakkon's forces, he presented me with my new uniform as well as my new weapon. The bow was forged from the Sword of Darkness, a steel blade that Drakkon himself used to fight the Power Rangers. Finster had managed to split the sword in two, expanding the size of it to shape that of a bow. I could tell that he had shined the steel and the rubies on either side of the handle. Holding it out to me, he allowed me to pick it up. It felt heavy with a sense of familiarity in it, my experience with the forged weapon playing across my mind as I adjusted my grip. The screams of my former friends rang in my mind from a moment but I blinked the thought away. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." I stated, turning my gaze to Finster. He nodded, taking my answer. Maneuvering the bow, I placed it over my back where the cloaking mechanism came into effect. It vanished, taking its weight with it. This was a power that had carried over with me from being Zordon's puppet. When it came time, I would be able to call upon it with just a swift motion of my arm. Zordon wasn't the best leader but he had some secret ways of doing things that were effective for us. Just never admit that to Lord Drakkon and expect to live.

"Lord Drakkon is awaiting you near the portal." He said, bowing his head again. I nodded, bending down to pick up my helmet from the floor by my feet. I tucked it into the crook of my arm and made strides towards the door. Heading out of Finster's quarters, I heard his padded feet behind me on the stone floors of the palace. He didn't speak as he walked, never daring to pass me as we moved together. This was why Finster was a trusted ally. He never questioned his place in the caste system here.

"What do you propose the morphing grid is like?" I asked, glancing over at Finster. There was a small smile on his face as he clasped his hands behind his back.

"I'm unsure. I haven't been able to study much about its properties but I do believe that he is correct about the energy being dangerously high. I've heard stories about those who have entered the grid itself being ripped apart in seconds."

"But Drakkon has survived it." I stated, feeling a nervous sweat form in my palms.

"Of course. He is quite powerful himself, however. I do believe you will be alright. I've ensured it with your armor and the power of your Power Coin should protect you." We rounded the corner to the throne room, the sound of the voices from the council meeting coming up the hallway. Drakkon had sent Zedd in his place, stating he would join him once I had left for my mission. The force field was still in effect on the room, Finster and I being able to pass through it. Drakkon was pacing by the energy field, his eyes transfixed on the portal. He looked up when he heard the sound of us approaching him.

"I'm ready." I said, nodding at him. He stepped towards us, his hands folded behind him.

"I've prepared her armor as requested, Lord Drakkon." Finster said, bowing his head towards Drakkon. "Her weapon has also been reinforced for her journey. Is there anything else you may require?" He asked.

"No, thank you. That will be all, Finster. Could you please join those in the council meeting? I will be there momentarily."

"Yes, your grace." Finster turned, giving me a small smile before heading off of the balcony and out of the throne room. Drakkon turned his eyes and me and I saw something in his eyes. Was it worry? Concern? Was he scared about me going in there?

"Once you are in the grid, it will become very hard to heard or see anything. Like Zedd stated, it will take you directly to the source of power. Once you're there, find it and bring it back here. Only kill who you must. We don't want to be interfering in other worlds without having our defenses up."

"Yes, Lord Drakkon." I replied. He reached out, taking my helmet from me. He carefully undid the clasps on the sides before tucking a strand of my hair behind my left ear. It was uncommon for him to be this outwardly affectionate towards me. His fingers lingered on my cheekbone for a moment before he allowed his hand to drop to his side.

"I ask that you are cautious on this mission. I cannot afford to lose not only this power but also the greatest warrior in my ranks." He said softly and I knew it was the closest to him telling me to be safe as I was about to get.

"I will." I stated, holding my voice steady. He leaned in closer to me, almost filling the gap that was between us. I held my breath, waiting to see what he was about to do. He brought his lips close to my cheek, lingering just centimeters away from the skin.

"Don't mess this up." He whispered, his lips moving on my skin. My eyes fluttered shut, living in the moment of the contact. I felt him move away, the warmth of his body gone as I opened my eyes again. He held out my helmet to me and I took it with shaky fingers. Tucking my hair inside, I pulled it on and clasped it shut. It felt complete with it on, the circuit of my powers complete. Drakkon stepped back, heading over to the portal. I followed, regaining control of my senses again.

"I'll return as quickly as possible." I said, the sound of my voice vibrating in the helmet. He raised his eyes to look at me, nodding.

"May the power protect you." He said. Taking a deep breath, I balled my fists and stepped forward. The energy field widened, allowing enough space for me to enter. I cast one last look over at Drakkon before stepping forward.

The first thing I felt was intense heat. It was like I had stepped into an oven at the highest setting. Sweat instantly began pouring off my brow and into my eyes as the world dissolved behind me. I did my best to keep my eyes open so I could see what was going on around me. The intense heat was matched with an intensely bright white light. I could only imagine that this was similar to what being inside of a lightning bolt felt like. I felt my stomach flop, making me wonder if it was the warmth or the small trickle of fear that was forming in the pit of my stomach. I balled my fists tightly and brought my right arm up to try to deflect the light some. That's when I saw the colorful streaks running up and down in the air. I saw blue, red, and yellow, the others moving too fast for me to process but it didn't take a genius to realize it was the same as our colors. Did this represent something? Was this their raw powers surging through? They moved more rapidly the more I stepped forward and soon, they swirled together faster.

Off in the distance, I could make out a light brighter than those around me. I moved closer, the sound of something coming towards me. I couldn't quite figure out what it was. It had a soft hum like voices but also a water like sound, as if the waves were crashing on a shore somewhere nearby in this blinding abyss. I gripped the handle of my bow in one hand as the light began to change color more rapidly. The pinks and the greens were especially more visual and the bands grew thicker. A loud howling noise vibrated through me as I felt everything lurch forward. I was moving. Through what or where to, I was unsure of. I just knew that everything around me was pitching forward. It must be taking me to the other power signature. Perhaps Drakkon was right. I would arrive to its location and be able to retrieve it quickly as planned. That would be the best way to please him in this mission.

About ten feet away from me, I saw something begin to form in the light. It swirled in place, a blackish color forming in the center. It expanded and I could see blurry movement through the window. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward. My legs felt wobbly as I walked but I made my way to the portal. Reaching out, I touched it with my gloved hand. The moment I made contact, I felt myself get yanked forward. The force was so hard, it made my head slam backwards and I saw stars for a second. It felt like I was free falling, the same distance of that of a sky diver. I came back to my senses, seeing that I was not falling from the sky. I was actually laying on the ground, my head spinning. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath until the sensation disappeared.

Opening my eyes, I found myself gazing up at a crystal clear blue sky. Wisps of white clouds were here or there, looking as if they had been painted with a single brush stroke. Underneath me, I felt something soft. Shifting, I sat up and saw the tall grass that had been pushed down by my weight. It left an indent of my body, reminding me of a distant memory where we would make snow angels on family skiing trips when I was younger.

Why did I think of that?

Shaking the thought, I pulled myself to my feet and looked around. It was odd to see the sun shining so brightly. Since Drakkon's reign began, he cast a darkness over Earth to protect his allies who were unable to stand the UV rays of the sun. Here, it was giving everything a bright and cheerful feeling to it. I found myself standing on a grassy knoll. Wild flowers were blooming around me in groups of purples and pinks, the tones popping against that of the green grass. In the distance, I saw buildings lining the streets and cars were piloting their way down them, making turns at intersections. Now and then, there would be a beeping from one when the driver became impatient with the one in front of them at a light. I could also hear the sound of people talking, the sound drifting up from the bottom of the knoll. That's where I spotted the brick building, the two story structure sitting back in a rather large parking lot. It took me only a second to recognize it as the Angel Grove High School. It was fully intact, unlike the one in our era. It had been the site of our last battle with the Rangers. Drakkon had destroyed it, blasting the last traces of it from the face of the Earth.

So, I was in Angel Grove. Was it the past? Was it a different universe? Was this a trick? I wasn't sure how to answer any of those questions. All I knew was that the great power signature that Drakkon needed to survive was here somewhere and I needed to find it. I just didn't know where it could be.

I crouched down as the shrill sound of a school bell rang out. Seconds later, the doors of the school opened and excited teenagers filled out. Some headed to cars in the parking lot while others grouped to wait for their friends. A few heading off near the front of the school where busses were waiting. Something here had to have the power. The grid wouldn't have brought me here if it didn't.

The answer to my question came as the doors opened and two people walked out. They walked a few feet, walking around the back of a mini van that was parked in the faculty part of the parking lot. The boy glanced around quick, before leaning in and giving the girl a kiss on the lips. The girl smiled up at him as he pulled away, stroking her thumb on his cheek. I couldn't believe my eyes as I watched the two of them heading off down the sidewalk together.

Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart.

Of course it was them.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hey guys! Here is the next chapter in the A/R fic. I am so sorry for such a long delay between chapters. Juggling a baby, school, work, and well life gets in the way of this sometimes. Being shut into my house seems to help with finding time to write haha. Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!

This chapter does have the preview in it that I showed before starting the fic. I promise another chapter will be coming in the next couple of day. :)

* * *

_**Kimberly**_

"Kim! Wait up." A voice called behind me as I walked out of my last period English class. The bell had just rung, signalling the end of the day. I stopped in the hall way, a sea of people walking towards me as they filed out of their classrooms. I saw Tommy weaving in and out of a few of those people, a smile on his face. It made me grin like an idiot, something I tried to stop from looking like an idiot. I stepped to the side near the wall, letting every one pass me. He stopped in front of me, his backpack hanging from his shoulder.

"Hey." I said, smiling up at him. "How was chemistry?" He rolled his eyes, groaning.

"Awful. I think having Billy as a partner is just making class worse. He tries to teach me lessons while we are working on the one the teacher gave us. I think I'm going to pick Trini next time." He replied. "How was English?"

"Okay. Anderson assigned a four page essay for over the weekend but what else is new?" I turned, walking towards my locker. He followed, walking next to me.

"I heard about it from his morning class. That's rough. I can help you if you want."

"Yeah? I'd appreciate it." I stopped at my locker and opened it, grabbing a couple of text books I would need for my homework for the weekend. I was grateful to be done for the day, Friday seeming to be the small taste of freedom. It had been days since we had last had any kind of break from Rita's attacks, them only seeming to let up as of yesterday. It was nice to imagine having some time off to do something besides defend the safety of the world.

"Sure. I can come over tomorrow afternoon if you'd like." He offered, leaning on the locker next to mine. I nodded, smirking at him.

"Okay." I zipped up my back pack and tossed it back onto my bag. I closed my locker and together, we headed out the door closest to us. "Are you heading to karate class?" I asked, glancing up at him.

"Yeah. Are you going to the youth center?" I nodded.

"I told Billy and Trini I would meet them there after school. Will you walk with me?"

"Why, I'd be honored, Miss Hart." He shot me a wink, reaching over and giving my hand a quick squeeze. It made me flush and my heart pound in my chest. With us hiding our relationship, it was making moments like these even more special between us. I hated lying but I hated not being with him even more.

Together, Tommy and I walked to the Youth Center. We held hands as long as we could but had to stop as we neared the park. It was too risky that anyone we knew would see and we couldn't chance that. Inside, I found Billy and Trini sitting at a table with Zach. We watched Tommy and Jason do their karate class. I was surprised to see as many kids here for class on such a beautiful day outside. They did well, listening to Tommy and Jason's commands as they spoke them. Tommy was in his element, a smile on his face as he taught. It was fun watching him and it made me appreciate everything he was passionate about. I did my best to be involved with the group's conversation as they spoke about school and their plans for the weekend. I knew I was doing a terrible job but it must have been enough for them to not say anything about it.

Around five, I packed up my stuff and helped Trini load her books into her bag. I had to be home soon for dinner and she was heading to her grandmother's house to help her with her garden. I noticed Tommy was helping Jason clean up after class, his eye catching mine as I stood. He cocked his head towards the juice bar and I nodded. I told Trini I was getting a smoothie to go and she said she would meet me by the doors. I walked over as Tommy jogged up the stairs.

"Hey, Kim." Ernie said, the owner of the Youth Center giving me a smile. "What can I get you?"

"Can I get a strawberry banana smoothie to go, please?" I asked. He nodded, turning to make it. I turned my attention to Tommy who was sitting next to me now, acting like he was reading the drink menu on the wall.

"Here." He said, sliding something across the top of the bar. I reached out and covered it quickly, making sure none of our friends saw. Jason was talking to Zach now and Billy had already left. I slid it into the pocket of my jean shorts as Tommy stood up. "See you." He winked again, making my knees weak. He walked back over to Jason and Zach, leaving me at the bar. I pulled what he had handed me out of my pocket and saw a folded piece of paper. Opening it, I saw his handwriting scrawled across it.

_**Meet me tonight. **_  
_**Our spot.**_  
_**-Tommy**_

* * *

The moonlight was shimmering down from above, casting a faint glow over everything it touched. It had almost a sparkling property to it, diamonds lacking in comparison. Tucking my hands in my back pockets, I followed the familiar trail along the lake. There was a light breeze in the air, tossing my hair over my shoulder as I walked. It had been some time since I could recall a peaceful moment like this. Between school, Ranger duties, and my parents' divorce, it was amazing I had time to breathe. It was moments like this that made me not want to jump head first from my Zord most days. I could hear the water lapping the water's edge, the breeze causing a ripple upon the surface of the water. The smell of the ocean was in the air, coming from the cost a few miles away. It was the perfect night. Stars twinkled in the ink black sky, making the moon look like the star of the show. It was amazing to think an evil witch and her empire was nestled on the surface of the large space rock.

"There you are." A voice said as I came around the corner between two willow trees. Glancing up, a smile played across my lips as I saw Tommy sitting on the larger rocks by the edge of the water.

"Sorry. It took forever for my mom to head to bed." I replied, walking towards him. He stood as he did, the dark green hoodie he was wearing falling over his hips. I could smell aftershave and his hair looked recently gelled, telling me he had showered before coming to see me. Taking three long strides, he met me on the path and pressed his lips to mine.

"I missed you." He whispered, taking my hands in his.

"It's only been a couple hours." I replied, smiling up at him.

"That's long enough for me." He kissed me again before turning and walking with me back towards the rocks. We passed them, heading towards the bridge that led to the other side of the lake. Tommy held my hand has we walked down the embankment next to the bridge instead of over it, finding some sand that was squishy went we stepped on it. I followed behind him as he ducked under the bridge, finding ourselves in a little cave. I smiled when I saw three or four candles set up with a little picnic basket on top of a blanket. "It's not much. It's all I could get in short notice without my mother finding out I was sneaking out."

"It's perfect." I said, turning and looking up at him. He smiled, his cheeks tinging red as he blushed. I stepped forward, leading him by the hand over to the blanket. I let go of his hand so I could kneel down. Careful of the candles, he knelt next to me. "What do you have there?" I asked, pointing at the basket.

"Well," He said, pulling the lid off of it. He reached in and pulled out a small glass bottle of what looked like wine. My nerves suddenly sky rocketed as I raised my eyebrows at him. "It's just sparkling juice." He added, giving me a reassuring smile. "I also have apple slices and some cheese."

"Is this how you charmed girls at your old school?" I asked, watching him pull out two plastic cups and a Tupperware counter. He laughed, shaking his head. He opened the juice and poured some into the glasses. Handing me one, he set his down and pulled the lid off the Tupperware container. I grabbed two slices of apple and bit into one.

"What girls? You're the first one that I've ever actually talked to." I scoffed.

"I don't believe that. With that hair, I'm sure you had all the girls fawning over you."

"Fawning? I think you spend too much time watching soap operas." Tommy moved the picnic basket and slid closer to me. I turned, putting my butt on the ground next to him and leaning into his side.

"90210 is not a soap opera." I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Whatever you say, beautiful." He muttered, taking a sip of his juice. I looked up at him.

"What did you call me?" A blush filled his cheeks.

"Erm—beautiful. I won't if you don't want me to." I shook my head.

"No. I like it. But only if I can call you handsome."

"You can call me whatever you want." He whispered, leaning in and kissing me softly. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and I snuggled into his side again.

"Maybe someday, we will be able to do this without sneaking around." I said, letting out a sigh.

"And hear how dangerous it is and how we would be putting all of humanity at risk? I think I could recite that lecture in my sleep if I hear it one more time." Tommy muttered, his thumb stroking my shoulder. "Zordon even has Jason giving it to me now."

"I know. Trini said something to be. I don't get it. Would it really be that bad if we were together? Isn't that what secret identities are for?" I let out a huff of air, crossing my ankles in front of me.

"It's okay. As long as I know and you know, that's good enough for me. I would love to tell the world that you're mine but I'm willing to wait until it's safer."

"How noble of you." I said, smirking up at him. He shrugged his shoulder, biting into a slice of apple.

"Well, I am a Power Ranger." He boasted. I rolled my eyes, taking a bite of cheese.

"Me too but you don't hear me bragging about it."

"Alright. Alright. No need to be so mean about it." He said, nuzzling my ear with his nose. I giggled, squirming from the tickling sensation. "You know; I would give anything in the world to just be right here with you forever."

"Me too." I whispered, looking up at him. "To just forget about school, the guys, all the ranger shit." I kissed him on the lips lightly. "Anything to just be with you." He reached over and cups my cheek in his hand, shifting so he was in front of me now.

"Kim, I don't know how to really describe it. It'll sound stupid, I'm sure. There's something about you that I just can't help but fall in love with." He stroked my cheek with his thumb. "I know it's only been a few months but I feel like I was supposed to meet you for some reason. Like Rita choose me just so that I would find my way to you." He let his hand fall away, turning so he was looking out at the dark water in front of us. He bent his knees and leaned his arms forward on them "When I was under Rita's spell, there was just something about you that wouldn't allow me to hurt you. No matter how hard I tried or how hard Rita commanded me, I couldn't bring myself to do it. It was something she tried to overcome with other spells but she couldn't. And she could never explain it."

"Tommy," I said, putting a hand on his arm. "It's not stupid. I think I felt the same way. The entire time we were fighting you as the green ranger, I felt like there was something about you that wasn't evil. Even before we found out it was you. There was some kind of connection I couldn't explain. I was drawn to you. The others tried to tell me that I had to stay away from you after your identity was revealed but I couldn't. I wanted to save you and I had no clue why. I knew I liked you before that but it wasn't like a normal crush. This was more...intense. I felt like I had to do something because the universe wanted me to." He glanced over at me again.

"Like fate." I nodded. He shifted onto his knees and kissed me, wrapping an arm around my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he supported us with his other arm. Slowly, he lowered us down onto the blanket and I laid on top of him. His hand combed through my hair as our tongues met in a heated kiss. I slid my hands from around his neck and into his hair as he pulled me tighter against him. Something was growing inside of me that was warm and eager. Like it wanted me to run around Angel Grove and do cartwheels but also crawl into the pit of my bed and never leave. I could feel Tommy's heart beat in his chest under mine and I knew he could feel my own thundering as well. Tommy and I have teetered on the edge of this for a couple weeks now, not going all the way but coming pretty close. It wasn't that I didn't want to. I had told him before I'd be willing. He just never pushes the issue too much and I never press him about it. When we're ready, it'll happen. I know it will.

A sudden ticking faint ticking noise caught my attention. I could barely hear it over the sound of the water but it was there. It reminded me of a clock ticking. I pulled away from Tommy, glancing around. "What's the matter?" He asked, looking up at me. I didn't see anything that could be making the noise, not anything out of the ordinary.

"I thought I heard something." I replied, turning back to face him. I heard the noise again, this time louder. Tommy propped himself up on his elbow, glancing around.

"I heard it too." He said. Something moved from the other end of the bridge and I could see the outline of what I thought was a person. My grip on Tommy tightened as I watched the person swing their arm. Something detached from them and came flying through the air. A red light was flashing on it and the ticking noise grew louder. "Kim, watch out!" Tommy yelled, rolling us over as it hit the ground eight feet away from us and exploded. The noise was deafening as the bridge around us shattered into a million pieces, stone flying through the air. Tommy and I went flying as well, landing a few feet away. I Pain rippled through my side when we landed and I heard Tommy let out a gasp of pain as well, telling me he was alive at least. I took a breath, coughing as debris from the bridge coming in.

"Tommy!' I coughed out, trying to get the dust and dirt out of my lungs. It sputtered out, my lungs doing their best to try and get air in. He was motionless on top of me as I heard footsteps come towards us, stepping on the rumble of the bridge.

"Get…out…of…here." He whispered in my ear, slowly getting to his hands and knees. I pulled myself out from under him, the pain in my side almost blinding. I had broken a rib. That was a no brainer. Blood was smeared on Tommy's face and I wasn't sure whose it was. Bending down, I gasped through the pain and helped him to his feet.

"Aren't the two of you just sickeningly pathetic?" A woman's voice called through the dust. As it began to clear, I strained my eyes to see who it was. Next to me, Tommy took a fighting stance. Once it was settled, I saw a figure standing on a large hunk of stone. To my surprise, it was someone in a Power Ranger uniform. I could tell it was a woman, not only from their voice but their form in the uniform. It wasn't much different from ours, only that were was way more black on hers. There was a white belt around her hips, a black version of the Power Blast on the right. There were pink accents on her legs and pink and white stripes on her right arm. On her right shoulder, there was a bigger shoulder pad. There was a tattered black cap behind her, billowing slightly in the wind. On her chest, there was a large pink diamond connected to two smaller ones on either side of them. They were in the place where my white diamonds usually were. Her helmet was similar to mine as well, pink framing the visor. Instead of white, there was the same shade of black around the silver mouth piece. In her hand, I saw she was holding a bow. I could see the silver edges of it in the light of the street lamps, two red glowing gems on either side of her hand. It was as if it had been formed out of two swords put together by the hilt, forged together to make a deadly weapon.

"Tommy…" I whispered, a feeling of dread coming over me.

"No." He whispered back, shaking his head. "It's not. It can't be you."

"Bow down to me, Rangers. Bow down to me and pledge allegiance to Lord Drakkon, true ruler of all the Morphing Grid." The ranger called out, putting her hand on her hip. "Or else."

"Or else what?" Tommy called out, glaring at her.

"Or else you'll have to deal with me." She replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"I think we'll take our chances." I said, taking a fighting stance.

"Let me introduce myself. I am the Ranger Slayer. And they don't call me that for just any old reason either." She raised the bow and touch the bow string. Pulling it back, a neon pink arrow of light appeared, similar to the way mine does during battles. "I promise you that you'll regret the second option."

"We aren't backing down." Tommy said, his most serious face on through the blood and the muck that was caked on it. "We're the Power Rangers. We don't do that."

"Then let me show you how I live up to my name. Let's start with you, pinky." She released the arrow and it came hurdling straight towards me.

"Kim, no!" Tommy screamed, pushing me out of the way. I fell back, watching in horror as it slammed into him. Blood splattered through the air and on me from him as his eyes widened.

"TOMMY!"


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Morning, everyone! As promised, here is another chapter. I'm not sure about anyone else but we were gifted a snow storm yesterday on top of being quarantined. I'm currently on day 5 of being locked in a house with my husband, our baby, and my 16 year old sister. May the power protect us because we might not all survive at this rate lol.**_

_**Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy! For some reason, I highly like writing as Drakkon for this fic more than any other character. Kim's usually my favorite but I'm liking the channeling of the evilness of LD. **_

_**As always, remember to R&R to let me know if you like it so far.**_

* * *

_**Drakkon**_

"Sire?" A meek voice called from the doorway of my throne room. My eyes darted in that direction, heat radiating from my stare. I found one of the kitchen servants there, a small little man with dark blue skin and wisps of black hair around his head. His eyes were large silver things in the middle of his face, his small nose pointed out. I never knew what planet these things were from but they were strikingly ugly in my opinion.

"What is it?" I snapped, continuing to flip the power coin in my hand through my fingers. Each time it passed between my thumb and forefinger, it glowed and dull green color.

"Do you wish to eat?" He asked, not daring to come any closer. "It's near dinner time."

"No. I said it once already. No one is to bother me until the Ranger Slayer has returned!" I roared, waving my arm towards him. The small creature slammed into the wall behind him, a whimper coming from his lips as he collapsed to the ground. It took him a moment to clamber back to his feet and when he did, he clutched his right elbow to him like he was injured.

"Yes, sire. I apologize." He turned and scurried away, leaving me with my thoughts again.

It had been almost 24 hours since the Ranger Slayer had gone through the portal. Zedd and Finster were guarding it around the clock, making sure no one was trying to make a run through it while it was here. I waited by it for hours, hoping for her to return and to bring me the power source she was sent for. After sometime, I knew I needed to return to the throne room to continue on with my meetings. I had several with my generals, making plans on stomping out the rest of the others, the Coinless. It was a term that had taken for themselves after they had let the other Rangers take over for them when they no longer had powers. Finster feared they would attempt to come here if they felt the power as we had. I had no concern with this. It would be a certain suicide mission if they attempted, my orders to bring them to me for execution still intact.

My patience was wearing thin waiting for her. Has something gone wrong? Was she in trouble? Had she failed in her mission? Or had the grid ripped her to shreds upon entry? I couldn't be sure about any of those answers as I had no way to determine what had happened. I had said I would go after her but Finster forbade me from doing so out of fear of being lost as well. I was left to sit here and wait for her to possibly return or to begin planning our next move.

'You miss her.' A voice said in my head. I shook it, forcing it out. That was absurd. It wasn't because I missed her being there. I needed her to be back here with the power source so I could continue being as powerful as I was. Nothing was going to stop me from controlling the world, including talk of another world that was trying to pull the Morphing Grid from me. By being able to get this power and obtain control of the Grid, I would ensure that all of my enemies bowed to me and that no one would stand in my way ever again.

Growling, I pushed myself up from my throne and strode across the room to the curtain that was blocking the balcony. Pushing it to the side, I saw that Finster stood near it. His glasses were at the tip of his nose as he studied the portal. He tapped his chin with a finger, taking in the sight. Now and then, he would hum something to himself as he walked around the light. He seemed fascinated by the anomaly, amazed that it had appeared here. I had to admit that I was too. It was like a rip in our universe and world, leading me right to a bright future of ultimate power and control.

"Anything, Finster?" I asked, closing the curtain behind me.

"It's quite remarkable! Now and then, I can hear voices. I'm not sure what they are saying but I think I can hear the calls of the Coinless from the past." He replied, not turning to look at me. If he had been anyone else in my empire, they would have been punished. Finster was different. Unlike the Ranger Slayer, he had been loyal to me since the beginning without needing a spell. He was my most trusted friend here and I knew that he cared more about my mission than anyone.

"You can hear the Coinless?" I questioned, stepping closer. He shook his head.

"I believe that it's showing past impressions of the Grid's power from our world. It's unbelievable, sire." He said, finally turning to look at me. "How are you, Lord Drakkon? Have your powers held strong?"

"Yes. I feel incredible, honestly. It feels like when I was first given my power coin from Rita." I replied, crossing my arms in front of me as I paced the balcony. "Could this be a good sign?"

"Well, I imagine it's not a bad sign. If my calculations are correct, the Grid is seeking any type of Power Coin to re-charge in a way to keep itself powered. The coins act like batteries to the Grid. Yes, it has its own energy and it is able to power other items but the Power Coins connect it to human energy which is needed to connect it's sources. It's similar to that of a spider's web. It's strongest in the middle but it needs supportive attachment in various points to ensure it's structurally sound."

"Without Power Coins, it's unable to stay this powerful?" I asked. He nodded, glancing out at the view behind us. The sun was beginning to set, it casting harsh shadows on the ruins below.

"You'll need Power Coins to keep it re-charged at this level." He stated.

"There are only three power coins here." I said, feeling annoyed. "I've absorbed and destroyed the rest of them."

"Then we will need to find a way to obtain more." He replied, shrugging his shoulder. As he did, the portal suddenly began to spark and crackle, the noise ripping through the air. I took a step back, shielding my eyes as something began to emerge from it. It glowed brightly, getting to the point I needed to turn away. I managed to look long enough to see a form stumble out of it. The Ranger Slayer was laying on the ground in a small heap, her helmet next to her.

"Kimberly." I said softly, bending down to help her to her feet. Smoke was coming off of her and she was warm to the touch as I took her elbow. She was slow to stand, stumbling as she did. Her bow laid on the ground and she was gasping for breath.

"I'm sorry. Traveling through there takes a lot out of me." She panted as I let go of her arm.

"I'm sure." Finster said, walking towards her. He examined her, looking to see if she had any injuries. He didn't look too concerned as he picked up her helmet and bow for her. She took both before powering down.

"Did you find the source?" I asked. She nodded, turning away from me. I grabbed her arm again, forcing her to look back at me. "Well?"

"It's complicated." She responded. I felt a surge of anger flare through me.

"You didn't return with it."

"Lord Drakkon, I-." She started but was cut off as I backhanded her in the mouth. She fell backwards, her small frame not taking the blow well. She winced, holding her face as she regained her footing.

"Leave us, Finster." I said, not looking at my friend.

"If I may, sire." He said. I shot him a glare.

"I said leave." I said in a low tone. He nodded, bowing his head before walking back into the throne room. I turned back to the Ranger Slayer who was standing straight, blood trickling down her chin where I had struck her. "You had one mission and you failed. Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right where you stand."

"It was us." She said, her tone almost short.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Through the Grid. It was another version of our world there. I saw him. I saw Tommy Oliver. He had a Power Coin. It was radiating energy and I knew it must have been the power source. I was able to kill him though." She said. I shook my head, running a hand through my hair.

"You clearly didn't since the Grid is still energized." I seethed. "You could have brought him here. I could have taken his coin from him and used it to energize our fight."

"I thought if he lived, he would try to stop us." She explained, sounding feeble.

"You're lying." I snapped. "You gave in to pathetic feelings. What are you? 16? You're supposed to be the strongest member of my elite force and you reacted with emotions of a sniveling little teenager. I should have known better than to send you."

"I was protecting you!" She pleaded, raw emotion swimming in her eyes and for a moment, I believed her. I shook my head, turning my face away from her.

"I will go and deal with this version of Tommy Oliver myself. Were there others?" I asked.

"Yes. I attacked him and another ranger but I saw the rest of them together at one point. It was too risky to attack then."

"I am going to go after him and retrieve all of their power coins. We need them to keep the Morphing Grid powered in this manner. Can I trust you to assist me with this? Or will you provide me with more reasons to end you?" I stepped closer to her, sealing the gap between up. She didn't flinch or try to move away.

"You can trust me." She said, the tone of her voice low.

"We shall see."

"Please reconsider this, sire." Finster said, his shuffling feet echoing behind me as I walked towards my bed chambers. After my confrontation with the Ranger Slayer, I had informed him that I was going in the Grid myself. I knew he wouldn't approve of the plan and he was voicing his concern. "If you shall perish on the other side, what will become of your empire here?"

"It wouldn't be a concern for me then, would it?" I responded, walking into the chamber. I left the door open, signalling he was free to follow. "This should be an easy task, Finster. I've destroyed these simple teenagers before. Tommy Oliver is no concern of mine. Once I kill him and his Power Ranger team, I will have six power coins to keep the grid connected. I will have everything I've ever wanted in the palm of my hand." Walking to my dresser, I pulled out my underclothes that I typically wear when heading to battle.

"This world is different than ours. There is no telling what type of technological advances they have at their disposal compared to us. They might have been able to develop weapons to defend themselves against this type of attack." He said, clasping his hands together in front of him. "Surely Goldar or Zedd would be more suitable to send in your place."

"They are both off in battle against the rebels. Besides, neither can enter since they do not have a Power Coin." I changed into my other clothes, morphing into my suit. The green and white armor shielded me and fit like a glove. My helmet appeared on the bed next to me. I grabbed a tie from the top of the dresser and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. Grabbing my helmet, I walked passed Finster and out of the door. "I will need you to reinforce the dagger as well as Saba for me before I go."

"Of course. I've already done so." He replied. I stopped, turning to face Finster.

"You are a great and wise creature, Finster." I said softly, smiling at him. Reaching out, I put a hand on his shoulder. "I swear to you that this is not the end of our story. I will go forward, bring back these power coins, and we will continue our quest to rule all."

"I hope you are correct, Lord Drakkon." He replied, returning my smile. "I have created something for you." He reached into the front pocket of his apron. He pulled out a small little device. "This will allow you to stay in contact with our world while you are through the Grid."

"Brillant." I said, taking it from him. "How did you ever develop something such as this?"

"The blue ranger had it in his possession when he was captured. I simply was able to reconfigure it with some work."

"Thank you for your work." I brought the piece up and attached it to my ear.

"Anything for you, sire. I will retrieve your weapons and meet you on the balcony." He bowed before walking up the hallway. I went the other direction, heading towards the throne room. I had left a message for Lord Zedd in case of his return before I had returned myself. I was not intending on staying long in this other universe. My goal was to end the lives of those pathetic beings on the other side and bring their powers back before the sun sets. They had easily been destroyed at my hands here. It would be no different this time, I was sure.

The Ranger Slayer was standing near the portal and I came through the curtain. She was suited up again, her bow on her back and her helmet under her arm. She casted a glance at me over my shoulder when she felt my presence. She didn't speak, just watching me with her doe brown eyes. They shimmered in the bright light of the portal and I felt something stir in me. It was dull, not as excited as it had been before. A pang of sadness crept into the back of my thoughts. Though I loved her deeper than anything I've ever loved before, the sight of her was not leaving me breathless anymore. Her features were not the same and she no longer brought the emotion from me as she had before. I was tired of Kimberly. Tired of her being this person. Tired of her only caring for me because of this spell.

"Here you are, Lord Drakkon." Finster's voice said, breaking my thoughts. I shook my head, turning to look at him. He held out the Dragon Dagger to me. I took this, putting it into its sheath at my waist. He also held up Saba, the sword of great power. After taking the power from Jason and Zordon, I silenced the hilt of the sword. He was still alive but could no longer talk back at each one of my commands. It was something I had grown tired of shortly after I had taken him. I placed the sword on the other side of my waist as well.

"Thank you." I turned back to the Ranger Slayer. "You are to stay here."

"What?" She asked, looking surprised.

"Finster has created a way for me to communicate between worlds. You will guard the portal. If I need assistance, I will command it. Until then, you will stay here." I responded.

"But Lord Drakkon-."

"That is an order." I said sternly, pulling my helmet on. She stepped back, lowering her gaze to the ground. "Finster, continue to monitor the levels of the Grid. Once I destroy these Rangers, it may drop. We will be able to restore it once I return."

"Yes, my lord." He replied. I stepped forward, stopping in front of the portal.

"I'll send word once I have arrived." I said, the static crackling around me.

"Be careful, my lord." The Ranger Slayer said. I didn't bother to turn and look at her before stepping forward.

The heat was intense and overpowering as I entered the grid. I moved quickly, wanting to be out of there. There were voices as Finster had mentioned but there were too many to be able to pinpoint just one in general. As I stepped forward, I felt the world drop. The bright light vanished and I found myself laying on my back. Blinking, I looked up and saw stars above me in an ink black sky. Blinking, I took a moment to gather my thoughts before jumping to my feet. I was in the middle of Angel Grove Park, a place that had been long destroyed in my world. Looking around, I saw no one around me. The late hour probably aiding to the lack of people.

Glancing down, I saw that I was no longer in uniform but rather the under clothing I had dressed in prior to morphing. I pressed the button on my morpher but nothing occurred. Growling, I brought my hand to my ear. "Finster, I'm here but I cannot use my powers."

"Because the Tiger zord powers haven't been introduced in this timeline yet." Finster replied, his voice in my ear. "You will need to utilize one power coin or the other until I find a way to merge the two powers together."

"Ridiculous." I muttered, morphing into the green Ranger. Though I was admittedly fond of these powers, they were nowhere close to the strength of my powers now. They would do, I suppose.

"Hello?" A voice said behind me, startling me. I spun, seeing someone standing on the path. It was a man in his late thirties, a German Shepherd connected to the leash in his hand. "Are you a Power Ranger?" A smile crossed my lips as an idea came to mind.

"Yes." I said, stepping towards him. The man smiled, excitement on his face.

"Oh, wow! My son loves your guys. Thanks for all that you do to keep Angel Grove safe."

"It's not a problem." I replied, stopping in front of him.

"I can't believe I'm really meeting a Power Ranger! My son is going to flip when he hears this."

"I'm sure he will." I quickly grabbed the Dragon dagger from my belt and slashed it across the man's throat, the blade cutting through his skin like paper. He gasped, his eyes widening. He released the leash, bringing his hands up to grab his neck. Blood poured from the wound as he dropped to his knees. The dog growled at me before turning and running away.

"It's good to be back."


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Hello, everyone! I'm on a roll this week it seems. Here's another chapter to keep you busy for a little while during all the craziness of the world right now. I hope you all are staying safe and healthy. I also hope you are staying home if you get the chance to. Let's all do our parts and stay home. Gives you the chance to read fanfics all day! :D **_

_**I own nothing PR related and please remember to read & review if you like it!**_

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_**Tommy**_

_"You're the chosen one. It's your destiny, Tommy Oliver. Fate has brought you to this time now. Do not miss this chance."_

"Tommy! Tommy! Wake up!" Kim's frantic voice said in my ear. Slowly, I opened my eyes and was hit with a world of pain. I gasped, bringing my hand to my side. I saw that we were still in the park and that the bridge was in ruins. Smoke billowed from the tall grass that was burning nearby, the smell awful around us. Kimberly was sitting next to me, her hand applying pressure to my side.

"Tommy! Kim!" Jason's voice called from a distance. We both turned and saw that him, Trini, Billy, and Zack were running up the path towards us. Worry was etched on their features when they saw us and I laid back down on the pavement.

"What the hell happened?" Zack asked as Trini and Billy skidded to a stop on their knees next to me.

"Someone in a Ranger suit attacked us." Kimberly said. I looked up at her and saw that she had scrapes and marks up and down her arms and a deep one above her right eye. She was also wincing with each breath, telling me she had more than likely broken a rib during our crash landing.

"What?" Trini asked, looking at Kim like she had misheard her. Billy took Kim's hands and removed them from my side. I cried out in pain as he lifted up the compress she had there. Kim nodded, grabbing her own side. Jason and Zack ran around the area, checking for any signs of our attacker.

"It was someone in a suit just like mine. Some girl. She shot Tommy with an arrow after she threw a bomb at us." I tried to speak but words wouldn't form from my mouth.

"We have to get him to the medical bay." Billy said, glancing at Trini. "He's losing a lot of blood and I can't stop it." He leaned forward so he was above my head. "Tommy? Can you hear me?" I nodded slightly. "I'm going to teleport you back to the Command Center. Hold on, okay?" Billy reached over and pressed a button on my morpher. I felt a pull at my body as a green light absorbed it. Closing my eyes, I waited until I felt the firm floor of the Command Center underneath me. When it did, I opened my eyes again. There were more flashes of colorful lights and the rest of the team was there. Jason scooped Kim up in his arms while Billy and Zack wheeled one of the medical beds towards me. The two of them picked me up as gently as they could, putting me on there. Trini put a pillow under my head.

"Ay, Ay, Ay!" Alpha's voice called out from somewhere. As they wheeled me out of the room, I saw Zordon looking down at me for a brief moment. I was beginning to fade in and out of consciousness, the pain becoming overbearing as I felt myself being wheeled down the hall. I heard Kim let out a little cry and I fought to stay awake. I needed to see how hurt she was and if she was okay. I felt someone put a hand on my shoulder, keeping me on the bed. My eyelids felt heavy and it was getting hard to keep them open.

"It's okay, Tommy." Trini's voice said above my head.

"I'm going to put him under to start the healing process." Billy said. I shook my head, opening my eyes.

"Kim." I whispered. Someone put something over my face and I heard a hissing noise. "Kim...Kimberly…"

* * *

_**Cedarwood County Department of Social Services  
**__**Cedarwood, AZ  
**__**October 11, 1994**_

"Mr. and Mrs. Oliver, I want to reassure you that any behavior that Tommy might have can be corrected over time with the proper amount of effort and continued therapy." A voice said from up the hallway. I took a deep breath, sitting back in the chair I was told to stay in when my parents walked into Mr. Shaftner's office. I watched the clock on the wall tick the second away, the red hand making a soft noise with each moment.

"He's been acting out at school. He hit another student and broke his nose! We can't have him doing anything like that. It's causing a scene." My father's voice said, it echoing off the wood paneling on the walls. I tilted my head back, closing my eyes. Even fourteen year old me knew that my adopted parents were beginning to regret bringing me home.

It had been seven years since they officially adopted me, finding me as an abandoned six year old in an orphanage on the outskirts of Tucson. I had been fine there, taking care of the younger kids and making sure no one messed with them. When they showed up, my mother took one look at me and said I was perfect for their family. But now, they were wishing they had never stepped foot there and were trying to figure out how to ship me back there. Almost like a dog you take in and realize all he does is rip everything you own up.

It wasn't like I was trying to misbehave. Honestly, it wasn't. I managed to get good grades and keep a low profile at school for the most part. My teachers even said I was "a good egg." But you get into one fight at lunchtime and everyone thinks it's the end of the world. The kid deserved it too. I had been sitting alone, trying to listen to my music and mind my own damn business. He was the one who started bullying the other kid who had been sitting next to me. He had taken his books and thrown them on the ground before he started trying to break his glasses. That's when I had had my fill. I got up, popped him in the nose and got the glasses back. I hadn't even said anything to him. But the pussy ran off to the recess teacher and I ended up in the principal's office. She had called home and my parents came in. That's how we ended up here.

"I understand your concern. This is typical in teenagers who have been the victims of trauma. This is often a more common occurrence in adoptive children. So we are unaware of what occured before his placement, it's uncertain what happened to Tommy before the adoption. It might be behavior he observed as a very young child or his way of expressing emotions he has from those memories." Mr. Shaftner said. I rolled my eyes, closing them.

Of course. Blame it on the times I don't remember. That was his go to thing since my file landed on his desk. Before I ended up in the orphanage, there was a question of where I had come from. My file stated I had been a drop off at a fire station. A fireman had come in for his shift and found three year old me sitting on the floor by the fire truck. When no one came to claim me, I was turned over to the state and that was how I found myself in the group home. They tried to find out information about me. The only thing I knew was that my first name was Tommy and that a man had left me there. I didn't know much else, not even the man's name. I can't remember that or much even, of my early childhood. The most I can recall were green flashes of light. Other than that, it's all blank until I arrived at the group home.

I was assigned to Mr. Shaftner's caseload when I was about seven. It was his job to meet with me once a month and talk about how I was doing. It was to help him build a profile for anyone who might be interested in adopting me. I can only imagine what bull he had written in there about me. Whenever I would ask him about my biological parents, he always said they were trying to find them but it might be something that will never happen. By the time the Olivers came into the picture, I had long given up on the idea of them finding my parents and anyone wanting to adopt me. I was surprised when Mr. Shaftner pulled me into his office and said that a couple wanted to do a trial period with me. I spent two months with them and then they agreed to adopt me.

"What can we do to stop this then? He can't go around hurting people. We have him enrolled in karate still but it's only giving him tools to use for fighting." My mother said, her voice full of worry.

"Perhaps it would be best for you all to get a fresh start. Sometimes a move can restart the way a family's dynamic functions. With everything Tommy has gone through, it would be a good thing for him to meet new people and make new friends. Don't you have relatives in California? You could try things out there for a while to see how it goes." Mr. Shaftner's chair groaned and I could tell he was standing now.

"You think we should move?" My mother asked.

"I think it would benefit everyone involved." He explained. "John, Anna. I know this seems like it's getting harder as Tommy gets older. That'll happen. The most important thing to remember is that he needs you more than ever right now. Giving him this new beginning is a step in the right direction. I can help guide you towards resources out there to help get you settled. I'll still need to check in from time to time but I have no doubt that this will help."

"Alright. We will then." Dad said, not bothering to ask Mom first. This was normal of him. For some stupid reason, he believed that she would blindly follow all his decisions. Probably because she usually does. I'll admit though that the prospect of moving was a nice one. I had nothing around here that was drawing me to it and Cali sounded like a good place to try. The ocean, girls in bikinis, and famous people? I'm down. It would be a great place for me to look into martial arts for stunts in Hollywood. It was something I was really considering for a career and being so close to LA would help me make it happen.

"How about I talk to Tommy while the two of you discuss it?" Mr. Schafner offered. I heard more movement and soon, both of my parents and him walked into the waiting room. He was a tall, slender, African American man with short curly hair on the top of his head. He also had a mustache on his upper lip that came down over the sides of his mouth. He put his hands on his hips when he saw me and sighed. "Thomas." He stated. I hated when he called me that and he knew it.

"Mr. Schafner." I returned, standing.

"Follow me." He walked up the hallway and I followed behind him, casting a look over at my parents who sat on the couch in the corner of the waiting room. They didn't bother to say anything to me, instead turning to one another. I knew they would have a moving plan together by the time I came back into the room. Mr. Schafner walked into his office, a small room at the end of the hall that was built like a glorified broom closet rather than a social worker's office space. There was a desk in the middle, two filing cabinets behind him, two old as fuck blue chairs infront of the desk and a computer chair that had seen better days behind it. He closed the door behind me before walking over to his chair. He said down, it groaning under his weight. I sat in one of the blue chairs, the material digging into the skin of my leg that wasn't covered by my shorts.

"So?" He asked, looking at me over his desk.

"So what?" I replied, raising an eyebrow at him. He sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"Let's start with school, shall we?" He opened a file on his desk. "Three fights since the beginning of the year. Twelve detentions and one out of school suspensions. Miss Bellevue told me you haven't been to a group in weeks and you haven't been attending your anger management classes like you're supposed to even though you signed a contract with me that you would."

"It's a piece of paper you found on the internet, not a legally binding contract. I think I'll take my chances in court with that one."

"Damn it, Tommy." He closed his file and shook his head as he looked over at me. "The Olivers are great people but they are at the end of their rope. Can you blame them? You're driving them nuts with all this crap you're pulling. Do you want to end up back at home? Cause that's where you're heading if you keep it up."

"What can I say? I'm a teenager. It happens."

"That's crap and you know it." He stood up, walking over and sitting on the corner of his desk. Crossing his arms, he gave me the after school special look I was accustomed to at this point now. "Your parents are considering moving somewhere new and I think it'll be good for you. You'll get a chance of new scenery, new people, and a new school. Maybe you'll be able to keep a clean nose better there."

"Gee. Do I get to take your upbeat attitude with me?" I asked, running a hand through my hair.

"I wish you would. It's better than the one you have right now. You don't get this, do you? If they decide to send you back, you won't end up at home. You'll end up at a boys shelter until you're 18, Tommy. No one wants to adopt teens. It's a fact, Tommy. You have a good thing going for your right now but it won't last if you don't pull your head out of your ass." I didn't say anything, remembering the horror stories from the shelter when I was younger. Constant fights, boys getting arrested and heading to gangs right after they hit 18. He sighed, putting his hands on top of his thighs. "What's going on, Tommy?"

"I need a new start." I said, not looking at him. "I think that place would be good. What was it called?"

"I think your file said that your Uncle lives in Angel Grove. Doesn't sound like that bad of a place. Besides, California is a great place to live. I have family out that way I visit once a year. Lots of things to do, things to see, and things to keep you out of trouble. How does that sound?"

"Like a way to get you off the hook for my shit." I replied, grinning at him. He smiled, nodding.

"Well, not right at first. I'll have to keep tabs on you for a while still until you transfer over to their system. Maybe you'll graduate from us before that can even happen. Imagine that idea, shall we?" He stood up, walking behind his desk again. He leaned forward on the back of the chair and laced his fingers. His gold wedding band caught the light above us and I saw there were dings and scuff marks on it from the wear and tear of wearing it. "I know you can do this, Mr. Oliver. You're a smart kid with a good head on your shoulders. Once you get that anger problem under check, you'll be a lot better off. Use this as a chance to show people the real you. Not just the one you think you need to be to survive. I think you'll see that not everyone is out to get you."

"Sure feels like it sometimes."

* * *

_**Present Day  
**__**Angel Grove, CA**_

"Tommy?" Kimberly's voice whispered in my ear. Slowly, I felt my eyes open. I saw her above me, a look of worry on her face. "Billy, he's waking up." She said.

"Correct. His vitals are stable right now. He's healing well." Billy's voice said from somewhere. I blinked, clearing my vision. I saw the ceiling of the medical bay behind her head, the bright lights seemingly blinding. I turned, focusing on her. She still had scraps on her face, especially above her left eyebrow, a deep gash there. Reaching my arm up, I cupped her cheek in my hand and stroked it with my thumb.

"Are you okay, beautiful?" I managed to croak out from my throat. She smiled, taking my hand in hers.

"I'm okay. How are you feeling?" She asked, leaning closer. I took it that it was just Billy in the room, the one person that Kim trusted more than Jason and Trini.

"Like I got hit by a bus." I replied. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing yet. You've been out for a few hours now. Jason and Zack went to see if they could find any sign of the person who attacked us. Trini is analyzing whatever they found. I don't think they've figured anything out yet though. Zordon isn't even sure what happened."

"That's reassuring." I shifted, sitting up. There was a sharp pain in my abdomen and I winced.

"Lay down!" She scolded, pushing on my shoulder. "You were shot with an arrow of energy!"

"I'm fine, Kim." I said weakly, sliding my legs off the table. I pulled the IV that was in my arm out with a sharp pinch. In the corner, I saw Billy giving me a disapproving look but I ignored it. I stood up, feeling a bit woozy. I kept on my feet, not toppling over like I thought would happen. "Where is everyone?"

"In the Command Center." Billy replied. "I'll inform them of your condition and prepare them for a briefing." He walked out of the room, leaving Kim and I. Once he was gone, she stepped over and wrapped her arms around me gently in a hug.

"Tommy, I thought…" She trailed off and I heard the emotion quiver in her voice. I pulled away slightly, turning her face to look up at me.

"I'm okay. See? Just a bump. Are you sure you're okay?" I asked. She shook her head, letting go of me to walk a couple feet away.

"That was me, wasn't it?" She whispered, glancing at me over her shoulder. "In the suit who attacked us."

"We don't know that, Kim." I said. "They never took their helmet off and it was dark."

"She moved like me. She had the same type of attacks. She even sounded like me." She said, shaking her head. "What's going one?"

"Look, until we know for sure, you can't let yourself believe it. Let's go talk to everyone else and see if they've learned anything else." I limped over to her and grabbed her hand. "You can't think the worst yet, alright?" She bit her lip before nodding.

"Alright." I gave her a quick kiss before heading towards the door. She helped me walk up the hallway until we walked through the doorway of the control room. I spotted Jason and Billy talking to Trini and Zack about something. They all turned when we entered and Zordon appeared above us in his power chamber. Alpha was working away at the computer, typing something into it.

"Tommy, I'm grateful that you are okay." Zordon said as Kim and I came to stop with the rest of the group. "You'll need more time in the healing chamber."

"Later." I replied. "What do we know?"

"A whole lot of nothing." Zack said, crossing his arms. "Jase and I searched the park the best we could but we didn't find much. We spotted something that looked like pieces of a bomb. Trini is testing it to see if it was."

"Explains the bridge blowing to pieces." Kim replied, sitting on the edge of the panel. "We heard a ticking noise and then the entire thing exploded."

"It was a bomb." Trini said, reading off of a piece of paper that was printed out of the computer. She held it out to Billy who read it as well. He nodded.

"There were trace amounts of explosive powder residue on the pieces discovered. Whatever this item was, it caused the device that initiated the explosion." Billy stated. "This is some type of material or chemical the computer has never heard of though. It only recognized that particles that are combustible but not the name of the compound."

"Well that's helpful." Zack said.

"We will get this figured out, Rangers." Alpha said. "We always do."

"What were the two of you doing in the park so late anyway?" Jason asked, his voice breaking through all the little chatter like a knife. His eyes were pointed directly at me and I felt an intense heat in his gaze when I saw the anger in them. Shit. I knew this was bound to come up.

"I had a fight with my mom and went for a walk." Kim said before I could speak. "I didn't feel safe and Tommy lives the closest to the park. I called him to walk me home. That's when we were attacked. I think whoever attacked us was following me or something."

"That's awful." Trini said. "Imagine if Tommy hadn't been there!"

"Good work, Tommy." Zack said, patting me on the back. I winced from the contact. "Oh. Sorry."

"It's cool." I replied. Jason gave me another glance for a long moment before turning his attention to Zordon.

"What's our next move?"

"We will need to continue monitoring the area for any type of strange power surges like last night, Rangers. We will also need to be careful. Rita could use this attack as a way to catch us down a Ranger." Zordon said. "Tommy and Kimberly, you need to take some time to heal. The rest of the rangers will continue to work on figuring the identity of your attacker. Until then, you two will need to stay here."

"What?" Kim asked, standing up. "Why?"

"The attacker saw you two unmorphed." Jason said. "They are probably looking for you to finish the job. It's safer for the both of you to stay put."

"What about our parents?" She asked. "My mom will flip if I'm gone without telling her."

"I'll handle your mom." Trini said, giving me a smile.

"And I'll talk to your parents." Jason said, nodding at me. "We'll make sure they know you're safe and make up an alibi." The look Jason had on his face told me this wasn't the only reason we were staying here. Sure, they might be worried about our safety but I could also sense it was the best way for them to keep tabs on Kim and I.

"Sure. Whatever's best for the team."


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: Hello, everyone! Hope we are all still safe and healthy. Here are two chapters of Altered/Reality. Enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Ranger Slayer**_

Sitting on the railing of the balcony, I trained my eyes on the portal to the Grid. It shone brightly and now and then, it would crackle with energy. It burned my retinas, causing me to look away but I would look back once the pain was gone. I was not going to allow myself to let Drakkon down again. Not especially after the lashing he had given me on my arrival. I had seen him upset like this before, moments before he ripped the throats out of servants or generals under his command that did not listen to his directions. I had done exactly that and knew that I was extremely lucky to be alive.

I had them. I had those pathetic teenagers in my grasps. After hitting Tommy with the arrow, he hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. Kimberly would be an easy target and I knew I could just take their power coins and head back to here. But when I went to take her out, there was something inside of me. It was something that hurt but yet felt comforting at the same time. Kim acted like I wasn't even there as she threw herself on top of the dying boy. She sobbed out his name, holding him in her arms. That's when the blinding pain came in my head that made me buckle. I had no choice but to leave, risking the chance of being an easy target when the other Rangers arrived to save their friends.

After running, the pain went away. I tried to go back but every time I thought about it, the ache would return. I knew I had to return soon or Drakkon would think something happened to me. I watched the team appear and rush off with their injured friends. That's when I came back through the portal. I knew the moment I appeared that he was upset with me and that I was going to be punished. I had expected him to hurt me and was surprised when he hadn't done so. Instead, he had gone on my mission instead to show me how it's properly done. If anything happens to him, it'll be entirely my fault. That was something that hung heavy in my mind.

"Any word?" Finster asked, walking through the curtains. I shook my head, not moving from my position.

"No." I replied. He clucked his tongue, lazily walking towards me.

"I'm sure all is well. Drakkon knows enough to call for help when needed. He may be strong willed but he is no fool. Especially not one willing to risk his own life to win when he has resources waiting for him at his disposal." Finster leaned against the railing next to me. "Care to talk about what happened in there?"

"I attacked the version of Tommy Oliver that lives there." I stated. "He was with the pink ranger."

"I see. You saw yourselves on the other side of the veil. Odd, isn't it? Like looking into a mirror of the past." He glanced up at the sky, the moon high above us now. "What else occurred?"

"I thought I killed him but apparently I failed at that." I mumbled. "He's just as stubborn to kill as the one in our world."

"Ah, yes. Tommy Oliver was one force to be reckoned with himself even before he transformed into Lord Drakkon." I shifted, pulling my arms around me.

"Finster, I don't recall much before the war with the Coinless. Why is this?" I asked.

"It has something to do with the Morphing Grid, I suspect." He responded, gazing into the empty abyss above us. "I'm unsure as to why it would affect your memory as it does but I assure you it's for the best. It was awful times before Drakkon took rule. Just keep in mind where you stand in his forces. You'll understand your importance."

"I understand just fine." I scoffed. "I'm one of the best fighters he has on his team. I see no other reason as to why he wouldn't trust me with that responsibility." Finster turned, a smile on his lips as he looked at me.

"Of course, my dear. You are very important to his cause. I fear he would have no chance without you in his corner." He sighed, standing up. "I do wish he had taken you with him. It would provide him with an ally at least in this other world."

"He knows what he's doing." I said, standing as well.

"Lord Drakkon is a ruthless fighter and an aggressive tactical leader. He does, however, tend to allow his emotions to cloud his judgement when it comes to certain battles." Finster stepped towards the portal. "I'd hate for him to be in harm's way because of this."

"When I saw them, I felt this pain in my head." I said softly, not looking at the creature. "It was like someone was poking my brain with something sharp and white hot. After I attacked Tommy, it grew even worse. It's why I needed to leave before collecting the source. I was an easy target if not."

"How peculiar." He muttered, stroking the short beard on the end of his chin. "Anything else?"

"No. Why did this happen?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Could be a number of things. I do suspect that it could be the use of your powers in a plane that is not ours. It could be effecting your powers and how you tap into the Morphing Grid. Almost as if you are crossing wires that shouldn't be touched. It's the same as to why Drakkon is unable to morph into his full form yet. Which, I do believe I need to return to. Please let me know if he makes contact while I'm gone."

"I will." I said, turning back to the portal. Finster shuffled off towards the curtain, moving it to the side. "I'm going in after him if he doesn't return in an hour." I said. He stopped, glancing at me over his shoulder.

"I've already prepared your weapons."

"Thank you." He bowed his head, leaving.

An hour passed and I found myself still sitting near the portal. I stood on the north side of it, eyeing it. Behind me, I heard an owl rustling in the tree tops. I caused me to look over my shoulder, its white feathers seeming to illuminate from the moonlight. I turned back to the portal and heard the familiar voices coming from it again. It sounded like a mix of different people, their tones mixing together. I stepped closer, trying to concentrate.

"You're new around here, right?" One of the voices said. The pain I had felt in the other world slammed into me, causing my knees to buckle. I grasped my head in my hands, trying to make it stop. In my mind, I suddenly had visions of hallways and people walking. Screwing my eyes shut, I tried to grasp to the vision but it seemed to vanish as quickly as it came. Much like water down a drain. It shifted from that to a body of water, sun shining off of its surface. I heard voices talking and felt that one was my own. I fought to hear what they were saying but nothing came in clearly. It was like listening to a conversation through a door with nothing but a glass to your ear.

As quickly as it came, it went. It left me dry heaving on my hands and knees, sweat pouring off of me in an alarming rate. I was shaking like a leaf, my stomach doing flips. I closed my eyes again, willing it to stop. It ebbed away after a couple of minutes, allowing me to prop myself up on my knees and back on my ankles. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I glared at the portal. What the fuck was happening to me? Was it a sort of poisoning that was occurring to those who didn't belong in that world? The voices sounded so familiar though and I swore one was mine.

My mind drifted to the time before the war with the Coinless. The memories from then were fuzzy, just blurs. I gave this to the fact it had been years and several battles had left me with shots to the head. I could remember being teenaged Kimberly who was concerned with stupid things like gymnastics and school work. It was before Lord Drakkon had begun his mission. When had attacked us the first time, the team proved to be a strong one but we were easily weakened. It was then I realized who my royalty should belong to. He came, allowing me to join his forces. He killed our world's version of Tommy Oliver, taking over the Power Rangers. They ran into hiding, forcing me to find and kill most of them.

"Finster." I called out. He appeared in a matter of moments, my weapons in hand. I morphed quickly, securing my helmet clasps with my fingers that were still trembling. Finster held out my bow to me and I placed it on my back in its holder.

"I've been unable to reach Lord Drakkon. I am unsure if my devices are working correctly here. There is a chance he has been calling for help unsuccessfully." Finster stated, an air of worry and doubt in his voice. Reaching out, I put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll go find him. I'm sure he will not be pleased as it was a direct order but I will do my best. If we do not return before Lord Zedd and Goldar return, inform Lord Zedd of what has happened. Ensure he doesn't assume our deaths though. You know how quick he is to want power when Lord Drakkon is gone."

"Yes." Finster said, nodding. I drew my hand away and looked back at the portal. Taking a deep breath, I stepped through. That sound of crackling energy was deafening and I moved as quickly as I could. It was like moving through deep water now, my weight heavy with each step.

Soon, I found myself standing on the grass of the park again. The sun was shining brightly and I could hear voices. I also noticed I was no longer morphed, my uniform gone. Instead, I was in my normal clothing. It felt odd to feel sun on my skin, something I hadn't felt in sometime. Looking around, I searched for any sign of anything out of the ordinary. People were in the park, playing in the jungle gym. Some kids were on the basketball courts and families were having picnics on the grassy areas.

Quickly, I made my way towards the path and headed in the direction of town. I needed to find Drakkon as soon as possible. There were no signs of battle or distress in the area. If Drakkon had been here, there would be no hiding destruction. I picked up my pace when I neared the Youth Center, eyeing a couple of teenagers playing hacky sack in the parking lot. On the back end of a car, I saw a baseball cap sitting there. Passing by, I scooped it up and pulled it on my head. Though there were years between us and I'm sure some battle scars, I couldn't risk someone recognizing me as Kimberly. I pulled it down the best I could and hopped onto the sidewalk. The door of the Youth Center was open and I skirted inside.

The building was bustling with kids. Some were working out on the equipment. Others were hanging out at the tables on the upper side of the room. There seemed to be a group of kids crowded around the bar, their attention on the small TV on the counter. I moved closer, trying to stay in the group to avoid standing out.

"This is the fourth murder in the last four days here in Angel Grove." A man said on the screen. He was standing in front of the park, a microphone in hand. "Police are warning citizens to avoid traveling alone at night. Since the return of the Green Ranger, it seems that no one is safe from his attacks."

"That's insane." A voice said near the TV. I recognized Ernie, the owner, leaning against the counter. "I thought he was on our side."

"So did I." Another voice said. This one was deeper and I knew it was Jason Scott before he even turned around. I hid my face behind a pole as he glanced over at Zack and Billy who were standing next to him. On the screen, I saw security footage of the Green Ranger attacking someone in the park. It cut off as he swung his dagger at the person. Confusion set in. Why was Tommy Oliver attacking a civilian? He seemed to be in deep with the team when I was here last. Then I recalled what Drakkon had said over the dimensions. He was unable to morph with both power coins. This must be him, using the only coin that would work.

"I don't know about this, guys." Zach said as the three boys turned away from the bar. I tucked myself as tightly again the pole as I could as they walked by. They stopped at the top of the steps, making sure no one was listening to them. "I know it looks like Tommy-."

"Oh, because he's the green ranger?" Jason asked, an edge of sarcasm in his voice. "Look, I don't want to believe it either but we don't have much choice in the matter. Unless Rita has another evil Ranger hanging around out there, it's the only possible explanation that we have right now."

"We need to get to the Command Center and speak to Tommy." Billy said. "It's the only method of ruling any possibility out of question." Jason nodded.

"Right. C'mon." The three headed out the door and I knew they had teleported right out of the room. So, Drakkon was pretending to be the Green Ranger to cause issues between him and the Ranger team. Why? Was he hoping they would turn on him and kill him? I had to break it to him but Power Rangers don't kill people. Not even their enemies. It's was a stupid rule that Zordon believed in. Sure, there were monsters they would destroy but actually killing anyone that wasn't made out of clay or putty was a huge no-no for the team. Drakkon knew this, though. I had discussed this with him a number of times when I joined his ranks. That's why it was so easy for him to kill Jason. Jason wouldn't kill an enemy, leaving him and easy target.

I left the Youth Center, heading back out onto the street. I would need to lay low for a few hours. Drakkon was most likely attacking people at night. It would be an easy cover then and he could move without much suspicion. He didn't know Angel Grove like I did, however. He was probably somewhere plotting his next move where people wouldn't be. I needed to find him before someone else did. I turned towards the east side of town, knowing where the warehouses were located. He would either be here or somewhere along the marina in the abandoned boat docks. It would take hours to search but I knew I had to.

"Excuse me." A voice said behind me. I stopped, feeling my heart freeze in place. Looking over my shoulder, I saw a younger girl standing there. She was about eleven with long black hair and fair skin. The red and green plaid dress she was wearing popped in the bright sun. Her almond shaped eyes were brown and she smiled brightly up at me.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Can you help me?" She asked. "I'm supposed to meet my older sister at the park but I don't know where to go."

"Go to the park. It's over there." I pointed behind her towards the crosswalk that went to the entrance of the park.

"I'm not allowed the cross the street by myself." She said softly, frowning. I sighed, glancing around. I was losing daylight. It was nearing 4 o'clock now and I was risking Drakkon being on the move.

"C'mon, kid." I said, nodding towards the road. I started that way and she walking next to me, a bright smile on her face. "Where's your parents?"

"Working. Where are you going?" She asked. I eyed her, seeing that she was skipping as we walked.

"Didn't they ever teach you not to talk to strangers?"

"You're not a stranger! You've been at my house hundreds of times, Kimberly." She said. I was surprised at this and I turned my face away from her. We neared the park now and she continued to skip next to me, humming.

"I'm not Kimberly." I said.

"You're not? You look a lot like her! Are you her sister or something?"

"Or something." I muttered. We walked under the archway of the park entrance. That pain in my skull was starting to slowly return and my stomach felt ill. I swallowed hard, trying to control it. Thankfully, it was not to the point of blinding yet.

"There's my sister!" Serena called out, getting my attention. She was waving her arm as she looked out towards the hills of the park. "Trini!"

"What?" I whispered. My head shot up to look where she was. Sure enough, coming over one of the grassy embankments was Trini Kwan. The fifteen year old smiled and waved towards us, jogging as she neared. The pain returned sharply, causing me to gasp and grabbed my head.

"Are you alright?" Serena asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. I nodded, stepping away.

"I gotta go." I said before turning and running away. I didn't stop until I was a few blocks away and I ducked into an alley way. I collapsed against the side of a green dumpster, fighting to catch my breath. My head was killing me and I felt like I was knocking on death's door. Sweat poured off of me and I could feel the contents of my stomach trying to decide if I needed to throw up or not. Closing my eyes, I leaned my head back.

"_There you are." My voice said, a smile curling onto my lips as I gazed down at the group under the tree I stood in. Jumping, I flipped and landing on my feet in front of them. Terrified eyes gazed back at me, except for the person in front. Trini looked at me with a determined look, the tattered remains of her uniform on the outside of her armor. "You're a hard lady to find, Trini."_

"_Kimberly, you don't have to do this. These people are innocent." She said, holding her hands up in front of her. "Let them go."_

"_Oh, but why would I do that? Drakkon is always looking for new servants for the castle and recruits for his army. Some of these pathetic fools will do well there. Even as bait." _

"_Whatever he said to you isn't true." She said, taking a step towards me. "The Kim I know would never seek out to kill her friends. She would fight with us and try to save Tommy and the world."_

"_Tommy Oliver is dead." I said. "So is the Kimberly you knew. Now, you can stand down and come quietly. Or you can make my day a little bit more interesting." She reached down and pulled out her Power Daggers. I sighed, rolling my eyes as I pulled my bow from my back._

"_Get everyone to safety." Trini said to the person on her left. They nodded, turning to the group. The all took off, running deeper into the forest._

"_Well, you just gave them a few more hours to live." I said, shrugging. "How noble of you."_

"_Think about what you're doing. What you've done! He killed Jason, Kimberly! You killed Zack. When will this end?" I pulled the string of my bow back and a glowing pink arrow of energy appeared._

"_When you're all dead." I said, letting go._

I gasped, opening my eyes. My body was shaking and I did my best to make it stop. That was when I felt the tears stream down my face and the pain in my chest.


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: And here's the next chapter! Remember to R&R. :)**_

* * *

_**Kimberly**_

After Tommy and I were told we would be staying in the Command Center, I could feel the tension between Tommy and Jason. Nothing was said but I could tell just by the look on Tommy's face that he came to the same conclusion I did. The team did not believe my story. They wanted us to stay here so that they would be able to keep an eye on us. Sure, their intentions might be good in heart but it left an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Tommy had taken off, choosing to hide out in the boys' room after that. I gave him his space, lingering with Trini and Billy. When they left, I told Alpha that I was heading to bed and that he could call for me if he needed anything.

During the night, I did my best to sleep but couldn't. Unlike a house, the Command Center had a cold feeling to it. Even with the extra blankets I had, I couldn't find a way to feel comfortable. Around 4 AM, I rolled out of bed and wrapped my bathrobe around me. I walked into the hallway, heading towards the boys room. Stopping outside the door, I took a deep breath. I felt awful about coming here, especially if he had managed to get some sleep unlike me. I lifted my hand and the door slid open on command.

Stepping inside, I saw that the light above the one bunk was on. The metal bunk beds were made up except for one on the bottom near the door. The blanket was pulled down and the pillow laid in the middle of the mattress. This was where Tommy should have been but he wasn't. I checked the rest of the room, sticking my head into the small bathroom that was attached. He wasn't in here either. Raising an eyebrow, I went back to the hallway and slowly started up towards the kitchen area. The light was off in here, no one seeming to be in the place besides me. Had Tommy left? Had he broken a direct order and went home? I shook my head. He would have told me. He had to be here somewhere.

I walked into the center of the Command Center and saw that Alpha was on his charging dock. He let out little beeping noises that sounded like snoring. He didn't move as I passed. The tube where Zordon usually appeared was empty. For a second, I wondered if he needed to sleep or not. I shook the idea away, it not important at the moment. I eyed the control panel and the computers. If I was a tad bit smarter, I would be able to look up where Tommy's last energy whatever was. I had heard Billy do this a number of times before when he was working for Rita. But I had no clue how he did it, let alone to even attempt it. Sighing, I wrapped my arms around myself and headed back towards the dorms.

Turning the corner in the hallway, I slammed into someone. I gasped, stepping backwards. Looking up, I saw it was Tommy. He looked surprised to see me too, worry on his face.

"Kim? Are you alright?" He said, holding my arms gently. I nodded.

"Yes. I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd come find you. Where have you been?" I asked. He frowned.

"I needed some air. I was in the hanger with the Zords since we can't leave." He replied. "C'mon." He took my hand in his and led me towards his room. The door opened and he motioned me to enter. I did, stepping aside to let him in as well. The door shut behind him and he remade his bed so we could sit. I sat, him sitting next to me. "How are you?"

"I'm not going to lie. I'm scared, Tommy. You saw her. If that Ranger wasn't me, then someone out there looks a whole lot like me. Even with my powers." I replied, clasping my hands in my lap.

"As someone who has been on the wrong side of this spectrum," he said, reaching out and taking my hand in his. "That person isn't you. We don't know anything right now. You can't just assume the worst right off the bat. Besides, you know that no matter what, we would find a way to fix things. You guys managed to save me. We can save anyone."

"I hope so." I whispered. "But if she somehow ends up being me, you need to promise me that you won't see her as me."

"What?"

"She already tried to kill us. She almost succeeded with you. You can't hesitate to stop her if it comes to that point just because she is me." I squeezed his hand tightly. "Promise me, Tommy."

"I promise." He said, furrowing his brow. I leaned against him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"So, how are you taking being quarantined?" I asked, smirking. He let out a dark chuckle, wrapping an arm around me shoulders.

"Nothing a couple hours of beating a punching bag, pretending it was Jason didn't cure. I'm really sorry you got dragged into this too." He leaned back until we were both laying on the bed. I tucked my head into his neck, snuggling against him.

"Well, I think it kinda backfired on them." I replied. We both laughed then, our voices mixing together in the small room. He hugged me tightly against him and I wrapped my arm around his torso.

"Remember when I first moved here?" He asked, shifting to look down at me. I nodded.

"Yeah. At the karate tournament." I replied.

"I was living here for a couple weeks before that. We were in Arizona before. Things weren't so great for me there. I got into a lot of trouble. My parents almost revoked their adoption because of it. But they decided to get a fresh start here first. I wasn't all too keen on the idea at first but knew that I had to if I wanted to avoid the state group home."

"I never knew that." I said, sitting up slightly so my chin was on his chest and I could see him better. He nodded, running a hand through my hair.

"Yeah. It's not one of the proudest moments of my life. I would get into fights and stuff like that at my old school. The last straw was when I was almost expelled. I wasn't a nice guy, Kim. I tried to convince myself that the other people deserved it but the truth was, I was an angry person. I still was when I moved here. That's why I went after Bulk and Skull the day I met you. I would wake up in the morning and just hate everything about my life and myself. I think it's why Rita was able to control me so well too."

"You don't know that, Tommy." I said, stroking his chest.

"I do, though. Because once I found something to care about, it changed. Once I found you, I didn't hate life anymore. And that's when her spell grew weaker." He shifted under me so he could cup my face in his hands. "You saved me, Beautiful." I felt a blush fill my cheeks.

"Well, you do it so much for me, I figured I'd return the favor." I said, smiling. He leaned in and kissed me sweetly on the lips. When he pulled away, he pulled me into his chest with a gentle squeeze.

"As long as I have you with me, I will always have a reason to keep fighting."

The sound of footsteps brought me out of a groggy state. I blinked a few times, trying to figure out what was going on. Shifting, I felt someone pressed against me. Turning my head, I saw that Tommy was sleeping next to me. His eyes were shut and his breathing was deep in his slumber. I smiled, enjoying being close to him. His arms were still around me and the smell of his after shave clung to me like a warm blanket. I must have fallen asleep here this morning after our talk. I still felt tired, telling me it hadn't been for very long. I glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was nearing 9 AM.

"Hey, Tommy." A voice said as someone knocked on the door. I froze, recognizing Zack's voice. My eyes locked on the door, knowing that at any moment it could pop open and I had nowhere to hide. Tommy stirred next to me, looking confused. He looked from the door to me with bleary eyes. They widened when he realized our situation. Bringing a finger to his lips, he signaled me to be quiet.

"Yeah?" He called out.

"We're meeting in the Command Center in five minutes." Zack replied.

"Alright. I'll be there." Tommy said.

"Thanks." We stayed still until the sound of his footsteps disappeared. I let out the breath I had been holding as Tommy rolled out of bed.

"You have to get out of here before they realize you're in here." He said, picking up my robe from the floor where I must have shed it during the night. "I'll make sure the coast is clear. If it is, duck into the gym and act like you're coming from there."

"Okay." I rolled out of bed and pulled my robe on. I also fixed my pony tail, tucking the bed head away. Tommy walked over to the door, letting it open. He stuck his head out quickly, checking both directions.

"It's clear." He motioned for me to go. As I passed, I kissed his cheek quickly before sprinting up the hall towards the gym. The door opened as I neared it and I could hear voices coming from around the corner. I nearly dove inside, landing on the mat on the floor. The door closed and I sprawled out, trying to catch my breath. A couple minutes later, the door opened.

"Kim?" Trini asked, causing me to lift my head to look at her. She and Billy were in the doorway, looking at me confused.

"Oh. Hey. I was getting a quick work out in before you guys came back." I breathed, standing. "What's up?"

"Something happened. We're all meeting in the Command Center." Trini said. I looked at her, concern growing in the pit of my stomach.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We're uncertain." Billy replied, shaking his head. "But it's unpleasant."

Ten minutes later, I was changed and standing with the rest of the team in the middle of the Command Center. Alpha was off of his charger, working with Billy to pull something up on the computer. Zordon was not present, something we were waiting to change. Jason was pacing the floor, not saying much as he did. Every now and then, I would cast a glance at Tommy who would return it.

"Rangers." Zordon's voice said above us. He appeared as we all turned to look up at him. "I am glad to see you all have arrived."

"What's going on?" Zack asked, stepping forward.

"Three people were murdered during the night." Zordon said. We all looked at each other, shocked by this. Murder doesn't happen here in Angel Grove. Sure, we have Rita and her stupid monsters but no one usually ends up dead here.

"But Zordon, we don't deal with police affairs." Trini said, folding her arms in front of her. "Unless it was Rita."

"It wasn't." Jason said. He nodded at Billy who pressed a few buttons on the control panel.

"Tommy, we will need to know the details of your whereabouts throughout the night." Zordon stated. Tommy looked up at him confused.

"What? Why?" He asked.

"Because of this." Jason said, pointing at the viewing globe. We turned as a group, seeing something move on the screen. There were two people walking on the bike bath in the park. There was a sudden flash of light on the screen and another figure appeared. The people on the path stopped and I could make out that the new person was the Green Ranger. I glanced over at Tommy who looked confused. Looking back at the globe, I watched as the Ranger moved in closer. There was a moment of stillness before he suddenly lashed out with the dagger. The couple dropped, clutching their throats. A dark substance pooled from their fingers and I covered my mouth with my hands, Trini gasping next to me.

"No fucking way." Tommy said, shaking his head. "That's NOT me."

"I really hope you're right, Tommy." Alpha said, cutting the feed. I closed my eyes, willing the image to erase itself from my brain.

"I am right! I was here all night, like you told me to." Tommy said, his voice getting elevated.

"Billy is scanning to make sure that Tommy's energy readings show that he didn't morph during the night." Alpha said, raising his arms. "It'll only be a matter of moments before we know."

"Tommy was here all night." I said, crossing my arms. "I saw him before I went to bed last night and once during the night when I went to the kitchen for some water."

"What time was that?" Jason asked, eyeing me.

"Around midnight and then around four." I replied. The computer made a noise and paper began to spit out of the printer port. Billy grabbed it with one hand, scanning over it with his eyes as it printed.

"The attack occurred around three this morning." Jason said. His expression was hard and I couldn't read it. There was a tightness in my chest as fear washed over me.

"Billy, is it clear?" Zack asked.

"There's no signs of morphing within the Command Center from Tommy's power coin." Billy replied. He stopped, glancing hesitantly at us.

"What is it?" Jason asked.

"He teleported from the Command Center around 2 AM. He didn't return until sometime before four." He said softly, avoiding eye contact with Tommy. Everyone turned to look at Tommy who took three steps backwards.

"I went home!" He said. "I needed to make sure my parents were safe." Jason reached out and grabbed Tommy by the front of his shirt with both hands.

"You expect me to believe that?" He seethed. "We have you on fucking camera, Tommy!"

"That isn't me. I swear to God that it isn't. I didn't morph last night. I went home and made sure my parents were alright. Then I packed up some clothes and came back. Kim was right. I was in the hall at four when she saw me."

"Can't we just check to see if he morphed or something?" Zack asked, stepping towards the green and red rangers.

"Yes but it doesn't mean anything. There are ways to morph without it. That's how he used to change when he was with Rita, remember? And our computers never registered it then either." Trini replied. I shook my head, walking over to Jason and Tommy.

"This is fucking ridiculous. It's Tommy, Jason! He wouldn't kill three people in cold blood. He didn't even do that much damage under Rita's spell. Now you think he just up and murdered people one night? There's a lot of strange shit happening right now that none of us can explain. The last thing we need to do is turn on each other. It's not going to solve anything." I said, my hands trembling. The angry tension in the room was over powering. Jason's face was as red as the t-shirt he was wearing and Tommy was white as a ghost.

"Kimberly is correct." Billy stated. "We do not have the proof that the individual in the footage is indeed Tommy. We will need to do more research to understand what's occurring." Jason and Tommy glared at each other for a long moment before Jason let go of him.

"Until we can understand what is going on, you will need to work as a team, Rangers." Zordon said. "Tommy will need to continue staying here in the Command Center. It'll ensure that we can monitor his whereabouts for the time being. It's uncertain if perhaps Rita's spell is playing a role in all of this or not. We will need to get more information to figure out who is behind this. Kimberly, you will also need to continue staying here to ensure the safety of your family."

"Of course." I replied, nodding. I crossed my arms to hide the fact I couldn't control the shaking of my fingers.

"What do we do now? No one is safe if we do not know who is responsible." Trini said.

"We will need to collect data. Perhaps we can get an energy signature at the crime scene." Billy stated. "Then, I could pinpoint who we are searching for."

"I'll help." Trini offered. He nodded.

"Zack and I will see what we can find out about the people that were targeted. It could give a clue into what reason the person had for killing them and possibly an identity." Jason said. He faced me. "Kim, you need to stay here and keep an eye on things. You can help Alpha monitor Angel Grove for anything out of the ordinary."

"Okay." Jason turned back to Tommy.

"And you can stay here and pray that we don't find out that the asshole behind that mask is you."

"I guess we'll see then." Tommy said back, his tone low. Jason disappeared in a flash of red. Trini and Billy both gave me lingering looks before disappearing. Zack was last to leave, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze before teleporting. Tommy avoided my gaze, heading out of the room.

"I'll be right back, Alpha." I said, turning to follow Tommy.

"Be careful, Kimberly." The small robot said as I walked out.

"Tommy!" I called out. He was walking quickly up the hallway, his fists clenched. "Tommy, wait. Please."

"You should go help Alpha, Kim." He said over his shoulder, not stopping. I ran to catch up to his, grabbing his arm. I pulled him to a stop, forcing him to look at me.

"Talk to me, Tommy." I said, pushing him against the wall behind him.

"There's nothing to talk about! You saw that tape. I can't explain that. I don't even know how that could be. I know it isn't me but I don't know who else it could be." He ran his fingers through his hair and slid down the wall until his knees were bent in front of him.

"Is there any point last night where you don't remember anything?" I asked, kneeling across from him. He shook his head.

"No. Not that I can think of. I left here and went home for a bit. After I got everything I needed, I came back here." He replied. "I didn't do this. You believe me, don't you?"

"Of course I do, Tommy. I know you couldn't do this. There has to be another explanation behind it. And we will find out all the answers we need." He closed his eyes, bending his head forward.

"Maybe you should stay away from me for a while." He said, turning back to look at me. "I don't have a clue what is going on and I can't promise that I can protect you from what's going on."

"Tommy, I-." He stood up, shaking his head.

"No. I mean it, Kim. Stay away." I didn't move as he walked away.


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: And another chapter! I am right on a roll here. Enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Drakkon**_

I had forgotten how much fun it was to slaughter people. The most satisfying feeling in the world is seeing their eyes widen as they realize what's happening and there's nothing they can do about it. Then, the life drains right from them. There's a moment, gleeful but fleeting, where you can see their very soul leave there body. That's the single most gratifying moment that comes with finishing the deed. It was one I had enjoyed during the beginning of my siege on the Earth, taking out my enemies one by one. Battles are close in the ranking system but nothing beats taking ones time to live in the glorious minute.

Finding targets was easy in this version of Angel Grove. People loved to walk to park a night, no fear to be held of the dangers. One would think that living in an area where monsters and alien attack were common, the civilians would practice living with some common sense. That didn't seem to be the case. I killed the gentleman the first night here and then moved on to a couple I found the next night. They were unsuspecting as well, not thinking anything of it until it was too late. The look in their eyes as I sliced their throats was damn near picture perfect. It filled the void I had been feeling for a while now, replacing it with warmth. It wasn't as long lasting as one would hope but it left me wanting more.

Last night, I found my fourth victim. It was a young guy who was riding a skateboard around the docks near the building I had sought coverage in during the day. I had thankful arrived her with civilian clothing but knew that the markings on my face would draw attention without a helmet covering my head. I opted to hide out, planning my next move. When I had grown tired of resting, I went out and stumbled across the fool trying to perform some tricks on the skateboard. He never saw me coming until I was on top of him, running the edge of my blade right through him as slow as I possibly could. He looked like a butchered pig by the time I was through with him.

But now, I found myself bored as I waited for the sun to set. My plan was simple: I was going to kill as many people as I could masked as the Green Ranger. This would cause an issue in the precious group of Power Rangers, no doubt. Especially between Tommy Oliver and Jason Lee Scott. If he was any way close to the Jason I had the joy of killing from our world, he was just as righteous and justice seeking as could be. The second he believes that there was a murderer in their ranks, he'd be up for fighting before looking at the logical side of things. I wished I could be a fly on the wall for the brawl that would break out once they discover it was a Green Ranger killing people. And who else would they suspect but the one who was once under the control of the evil witch on the moon?

Standing from my perch on the dock that over looked the ocean, I leaned against the doorway. This building had long been abandoned, the former fish market being rebuilt a few blocks down when the bay opened more. It was to help with the surplus coming from San Francisco. My adopted father had been the regional manager during the rebuild process and had spoken about it during dinner each night. It was a small detail I could recall from my youth, a time I did my best to wipe from my memory. The building had four stories to it and a vast emptiness that echoed with each footstep. I had made a makeshift shelter on the top floor, obtaining a bed and some other items I would need. It wasn't my chambers back in our world but it served its purpose well. The only thing truly missing was the Ranger Slayer.

I hated to admit it to myself that I wanted her there. She had been the reason why I needed to come here myself, her lack of completion resulting in me needing to step in. Even though I was enjoying my action here, I wondered how it would feel if she had been by my side as well. When I laid there, I longed for her touch and her scent. It made me frustrated but I recognized that my desire for her had been the fire that led me to where I was now. If I hadn't fallen in love with her, I don't believe that I would have fought as hard to rule everything I had in my possession. I also didn't believe that I would have so much enthusiasm in my accomplishments if she hadn't been there. Though our world was loud, hectic, and darker, it was our world. My world to control. This world was young and green, ready to be taken.

But, it was quiet. I did my best to sleep during the day when I wasn't attempting to learn if my actions had been reported. In the security building next door, I could hear a radio playing now and then. It reported the second set of deaths, the first following shortly after. Now as I sat, I could hear it slightly over the sound of the waves beneath me. My victim had been discovered in the early hours when the security guard had done his rounds. I had watched the police arrive, removing the body and taking what little evidence they had with them.

The sun streaked across the sky, the brilliant reds and yellows making everything seem to glow. I stood, watching it until it disappeared and the full moon rose high up into the sky. I needed it to be dark and late, ensuring that most of Angel Grove was at home and sleeping in their beds. Having them sound asleep and unsuspecting that their entire world was about to be turned upside down without as much as a warning. After all that was said and done, those that were lucky enough to survive would question as to why they hadn't been able to see it coming sooner. This was going to be the next part of the plan.

Morphing, I reached for my belt line. I found the dagger there and released it from its sheath. Bringing it to my helmet, I closed my eyes and played the old yet familiar tune. It called out into the twilight air, summoning a beast that laid sleeping deep in the ocean. I could hear rumbling off in the distance, the ocean bubbling. I could also make out voices yelling as the Dragonzord emerged from the Pacific Ocean. It let out a loud cry as it made its way towards shore.

Once it was on land, the towering mechanical fighting vehicle waited for its next command. I leapt from my place, landing on the nose of the powerful machine. I found the hatch, opening it so I could climb inside. It was like riding a bicycle. The controls came back to me as I placed my hands on them. If there was a way for me to return with this, I would. It had been my favorite part of being the Green Ranger. Being one of the more powerful Zords, I had no doubt it would help me succeed.

The Dragonzord moved forward, heading towards the north side of town. People screamed and ran as it approached, hopping out of cars to flee. The smaller vehicles crunched like leaves under foot, the metal twisting with screeching noises. As I passed buildings, I swung the arms and cleared them. Dust and debris flew into the air, large pieces falling to the ground. I fired the missiles loaded in the plate on the chest, the fiery explosions causing smoke to billow up into the sky.

"Run, you fools." I said, bringing the foot down on a house on my left. There were loud cracking noises as it was smashed into pieces, glass shattering from the windows. I moved on to the next, taking out an entire block of homes. I was moving faster than those inside of them could move. I knew I was killing people by the hundreds and injuring by the thousands. Another missile pierced through the night sky, colliding with a nearby apartment building. It seemed to disintegrate in front of my eyes, fire consuming its remains.

On the ground, I could see the scared faces of those fleeing. Parents grouped their children together, hoping to bring them to safety. Those injured clung to their rescuers who were trying to drag them away from the wreckage. Pulling the Dragonzord to a stop near the high school, I climbed from the cockpit and walked out to the extended palm of the Dragonzord.

"Oh, how I missed this." Above me, I saw bright streaks in the sky. Red, yellow, and blue lights were coming towards me in a quick rate. Smirking, I jumped from the Dragonzord and landed on the ground. Running, I disappeared into the shadows before they even had a chance to land.

* * *

After leaving the scene of my attack, I strolled through the dark shadows of town. I made sure to kill anyone I passed, leaving a trail of bodies in my wake as I went. My kill count as up to five by the time I made it to the East part of Angel Grove. I found myself standing in front of a two story blue home with white shutters on the windows. The lights were off and there was no movement inside of the home. My chest tightened as I looked up at it, recalling the last time I had seen it. I had been roughly 16, defeating a number of enemies. Rita had sent me here, telling me that there had been something I had to see.

Walking up the front steps, I waved my hand by the door knob and heard the lock click. The door opened slightly and I slipped inside. I unmorphed once inside, my uniform disappearing. Even in the dark, I knew where everything was. The living room was to the right, the hardwood floors underneath cotton blue furniture. To the left, a dining room with an oak table and chair set with enough seats for six people. There was also a shorter hallway that led to a kitchen and a staircase adjacent with it that led to the second floor. Pictures hung on the wall along the stairwell, showing a happy family and a boy growing from a baby to a teenager.

I was careful to be quiet as I walked up the stairs. I avoided the fourth step from the bottom, knowing it would creak loudly. On the landing at the top, I found myself on the second floor. To my left, there were three doors and two to the right. I started with the closest door to me on the left, opening the door. This was the office, a desk set up on one side of the room and a large bookshelf on the other. It was jammed to its limit with books of all shapes and sizes. Stepping closer, I shut the door and ran a hand over the spines of some of them. They felt leathery against the skin of my fingertips, reminding me of the smell that would be there if you opened them.

I could recall a memory of sitting with my mother on the back patio, her nose buried deep within the pages of a book. She would read aloud the parts she would find most fascinating or that she believed I would enjoy hearing. We would spend hours like this, her lovely voice reading to me since I was a child. She had a way of making you feel involved with the story, the words wrapping around you until you dissolved into the world she was describing. She had always dreamt of being a writer, prompting my father in building this office for her to write in. Turning to the desk, I saw that there were pages bonded together with clips on one side of it. Stepping closer, I picked on up. I saw there was typed print on the front of it. _The Missing Piece_ was written here, my mother's name written underneath it. In this world, my mother had been able to achieve this dream where she hadn't in mine.

Setting the book back down, I moved back out into the hallway. My parents' bedroom was across the hall from the office. The door was propped open a crack, allowing me to open it fully without making a sound. They were laying in the bed, my father on the right side of the mattress and my mother on the left, closest to me. They were both sound asleep, a deep breathing coming from my father. My mother looked peaceful, her eyes closed and a small smile on her lips. I wondered what she was dreaming of or what was going through her head as she slept. I felt a smile on my lips as I gazed down at her.

When Rita had sent me to my home in my world, I discovered she had sent someone to kill them while they slept. Upon discovering them, I was distraught. Granted they were not my biological parents, I had grown to love them as my own family. Especially my mother. She had been the only innocent person in my eyes, me ensuring that she was not in harm's way before each attack while I was the Green Ranger. Rita saw this as a weakness as we were growing stronger and getting a better grasp of the upper hand. She took out the last remaining tie of me being human in her eyes, leaving me with no reason to show reserve or mercy towards Angel Grove or the Earth. She had succeeded, leaving me with no emotional tie to this place anymore. But as I looked down at them now, I felt that same throbbing pain in my chest that I had when I had found them slaughtered.

I had been closest to my mother, our relationship built of similar interests in reading and hobbies like that. My relationship with my father had been pleasant as well until I was placed under Rita's spell. Things between us became strained then, me trying to fight my father for the alpha status in the house. I had been cocky and knew that I could take him down without batting as much as an eye at him. Prior to this, we would watch kung fu movies together and go to baseball games. After moving to Angel Grove, our relationship flourished more than it had in Arizona. The move had been a good idea and I found myself thankful for them being in my lives. When Rita took them from me, it cracked all the rational emotions I had inside of me.

Walking over to the side of the bed, I knelt down so I was closer. I gently kissed my mother's forehead and smoothed the hair out of her eyes. She didn't move, her not being awaken in her slumber. Standing back up, I headed out of the bedroom and closed the door behind me. I made my way up the hallway to the next room. The bathroom was across from me, the attic next to it. At the last door, I found myself staring at a poster of some band I had liked as a teen. I opened the door with a wave of my hand, expecting to see the teen version of me sleeping in the bed. He had not shown at the disaster area I had created, leaving me to suspect he would be here.

He was not, however. The unmade bed was empty on the left side of the room. Clothes and other things cluttered the floor, covering the dark grey carpet that was under there. I glanced around the room, the memory of being here washing over me. In the right corner, there was a shelf filled with trophies from the karate tournaments I had competed in over the years as a child. There were also various trinkets I had collected from our times on vacation or just traveling in general. Posters littered the walls, most of them from kung fu movies or action flicks I had enjoyed.

Near the bed, I saw there were Polaroid pictures taped to the wall. I walked over, leaning in closer to see. I saw stills of the Power ranger team, their smiling faces looking up at me. These must be pictures that Tommy found important to him. There were some from spending time together in the park, one from Halloween. There was one that was closer to the head of the bed than the others. Putting my knee on the bed, I grabbed it between my thumb and pointer finger and pulled it from the wall. Standing, I gazed down at it in my hands. 15 year old Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart were smiling up at me. His arm was wrapped around her shoulder and hers were around his torso in a friendly hug. Her attention was on the one taking the picture while he couldn't take his eyes off of her as they smiled.

This was why Tommy Oliver was weak. He was more concerned with the well-being of those around him than his own purpose in life. If he had opened his eyes, he could have seen that he was capable of having everything he had ever desired. He would still have Kimberly. He could have had his family as well, taking them with him to the Moon Palace to ensure their safety. He could have all the powers he could imagine and the control of billions in the palm of his hand. Instead, he choose fighting for those who were willing to turn on him in the blink of an eye. I tossed the picture on the bed and sighed. There was one thing that the two of us still had in common, no matter how hard I had worked.

That love for Kimberly was still burning enough to stop everything.

I left the house, leaving no trace of me being there. Outside, I morphed again. I my ear, I heard a cackling noise. "Finster?" I asked, bringing the communication device to my mouth.

"Sorry, sire. I was trying to reach you. I was able to repair your morphing abilities. You will be able to morph to your full capacity in a matter of hours."

"Good work, Finster. I think it's due time I introduce this team of Rangers to Lord Drakkon."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Stay healthy and safe everyone! At this rate, I'll have this finished by the time I'm allowed to leave the house again! Hahahaha. It helps fill the void that my canceled Comic-con has left. I was supposed to meet JDF again and have him meet Jack but Corona had other plans. Oh well! There's always next time.

* * *

_**Tommy**_

Confused rage was pooling inside of me as I paced around the small bedroom I was now being forced to stay in. I had no clue how to explain what had just happened. I had been just as surprised to see a form of me standing in the viewing globe as much as the others. When I watched them kill those people, it was like the floor had disappeared out from under me. The couple didn't even have a chance to run with how quick the attack had been. That person had killed them in cold blood and left them there.

And everyone thought it was me.

How could they even imagine that I would be capable of doing something so horrible? I had done some awful stuff under Rita's control but it was in times of battle or attacks. I never once sought out anyone and just ended their lives like this. I wasn't in her control anymore and Rita hadn't led an attack in a number of days. Blind rage filled me again and I grabbed one of the bunks, tossing it to the floor in a loud clattered. I stood there, seething as I looked down at it. Jason was convinced it had been me. I saw it in his eyes before he even said it out loud. My best friend, the one person I trusted more than Kimberly, thought I was the one who was doing this and I didn't have a way to prove it wasn't.

How does one prove their innocence? It wasn't like I could just pull up footage of me at my parents' house. I had spoken the truth. I couldn't sleep and I decided to go to my house to make sure my parents were safe. When I got there, they were sleeping. I took the time to shower quickly and pack some things I needed for an extended stay at the Command Center. I hadn't been gone very long and I had run in to Kimberly as soon as I had arrived back. Granted, I didn't tell her I had left. I was afraid if I had told her, she would tell Jason I had left the Command Center against his order. Things between us had already been rough since we were told we could no longer see each other. I didn't want to make it worse.

Who the fuck was I kidding now?

Sitting on the opposite bed, I buried my head in my hands. Each time I closed my eyes, I saw the couple getting their throats sliced open. It made me want to scream and throw up at the same time. Who could be doing this? Who had access to my powers that I didn't know about? Not even Rita was capable of using them. She had tried after I had been freed from her control. It was why she tried numerous times to drain my powers. This was definitely not Rita even in the slightest. This was something else and I knew it had to be connected to that strange Ranger that had tried to kill Kim and me before. I just didn't know who they were and what they were doing here. Or how to find them.

The thought of Kim's eyes as I told her to stay away from me came to mind. She was hurt. I knew she was. It had been something I said out of anger that wasn't directed towards her. But now as I sat here, I found some truth in it. Whoever was behind this was targeting my image and my powers. They wanted to make sure the world thought I was a monster capable of horrible acts. It was something they were succeeding at too. If they knew that Kimberly was a part of my life, she would be the biggest target. Zordon and Jason were right. Being with her was going to cause someone to get hurt or killed. I couldn't picture my life if that person was Kim. I would not be able to breathe if she ended up dead because of me. It was something I wouldn't allow myself to imagine for more than a brief second. I knew I had done the right thing and that Kim would be a great deal safer away from me.

Wat I had told Kim under the bridge that night had also been the truth. From the moment I laid eyes on her, there was something that drew me to her. Like a piece of metal to a strong magnet, I couldn't stay away. Thankfully, it was something that Rita was never able to detect when I was her servant or else she would have taken out that problem in the beginning. But it was there and I found myself wanting to be near her even with her as the enemy. It was easy when she didn't know who the Green Ranger was but when my identity had been made, I found that she was also drawn to being around me. It was something that caused backlash for her when it came to the others but still, she fought to try to break the spell.

I was so in love with Kimberly that it scared me at times, like now. Some people might think it wasn't possible at our age but I knew it was. There was no other way to describe the way I felt about her and that I was willing to die if it meant protecting her from anything in the universe. I felt tears brim my eyes as I lifted my head. I knew I had to tell her that things were over. It was the only way I was going to be able to protect her from what's going on. Then, I could go out and try to find the person who was doing this. If it meant going rogue for a while and fighting on my own, the Rangers were going to have to understand.

Standing, I fixed the cot I had thrown and placed it back in its place. On the floor, I spotted something that had fallen from underneath the thin mattress. Picking it up, I saw it was a little light pink envelope. Opening it, I saw a hand written note inside of it. I recognized Kim's hand writing and the fact that the note had been given to me when I first joined the team.

_ "Hey!" Kim said, walking out of the boy quarters as I walked up the hallway. I jumped slightly, surprised that she suddenly appeared like that. "Are you getting settled in?" She asked._

_ "Yeah. This place is incredible." I replied. She laughed, nodding._

_ "It's something else, isn't it? I mean it's not really homey or anything but it works after a long day of fighting or when we are going all night again Rita." _

_ "She does tend to like those long hours." I replied. My heart was thundering in my throat it seemed and the smell of her shampoo wafted over me in a calming manner. "Thank you, by the way."_

_ "For what?" She asked. I shrugged._

_ "I guess for saving me." _

_ "Well, of course, Tommy. We weren't going to let Rita control you forever. It was a team effort." _

_ "That's not what I meant." I said, swallowing hard. "You never stopped trying to get through to me the entire time. No one else did. I know it couldn't have been easy and I'm glad you didn't, Kim. I think it helped me keep some humility during all of this." A red blush filled her cheeks as she grinned._

_ "It was my pleasure. I knew you were still in there. I was just trying to find you." She clasped her hands together. "I have to go meet Trini to head to the mall. I'll see you later, okay?" _

_ "Okay." She started up the hallway. Turning about halfway, she walked backwards._

_ "I left something for you on your bed." She shot me a wink before jogging out of sight. I raised an eyebrow, opening the door of the room. I looked over at my bed and saw a pile of clothing on there. Each article of clothing was green, the top being a green and white flannel shirt. There was a pink envelop on top of the pile and I picked it up. Opening it, I saw a note inside._

_ Tommy –_

_ Welcome to the team! I thought you might want some new clothes to help you fit in. There's an unspoken dress code around here and wanted to lend you a helping hand. I'm glad you're fighting on our side now. We'll be quite the force now with you with us._

_ I'm just glad to have you back. _

_ Love,_

_ Kimberly_

_ "Hey, bro." Jason voice said behind me as he walked into the room. I glanced over my shoulder at him, giving him a small smile. "What's that?" He asked, pointing at the note in my hand._

_ "Just something from Kim to welcome me to the team." I replied, tucking the note under the blanket in my cot. He snorted, grinning at me widely._

_ "Oh, really?" He closed the door behind him, checking the coast. "Look, just between you and me, Tommy. But I'm pretty sure she likes you. Like a lot."_

_ "Yeah?" I asked, hoping to not sound too hopeful. He nodded._

_ "Totally. I've seen her crush over other losers before but this is different."_

_ "Thanks." I said, flatty. _

_ "Shit. Sorry. I didn't mean that you were. All I meant was that she isn't acting the same as she did with them. You're different somehow for her. I think you might want to look into it if you know what I mean."_

_ "Kim's nice and all but I just joined you guys after everything that happened. I don't want to make things worse." Jason shrugged, shaking his head._

_ "You gotta let that shit go, man. You had no control in what you were doing. Rita got you good. You can't let her keep winning but thinking about what you could have done differently all the time. You're with us now. The good guys! We're gonna kick her ass all the way back to the moon and where ever the hell she comes from." He clasped a hand on my back in a supportive fashion._

_ "Thanks, man." I said, smiling at him. "She's not going to know what hit her."_

_ "Exactly. C'mon. Let's go grab a smoothie. You're treating." He winked as we headed out of the room._

My eyes lingered over her writing, my finger tracing the smiley face she had drawn. It felt like a life time ago even though it had only been about a year since I had arrived here. The Power Rangers had become my home and my life, Kim being the main focal point of it all. Now, I was going to have to try living without her in it. I let out a ragged breath, wishing to go back in time about three days before this all happened. So that I could stop it and prevent all of this from happening. My friendship with Jason was suffering as well, something that I needed. He was my best friend and he was at risk too. They all were.

Standing up, I walked over to the small lockers that were built into the walls. I opened the one with my name on it and pulled out my backpack. I started shoving as much as I could into it, making sure I had enough clothes for my mission. I also packed what little possessions I had here; a watch my father gave me for my sixteenth birthday, my favorite book to read, and then a couple candid pictures of Kimberly. I tucked these in the pocket on the inside for safe keeping, ensuring they wouldn't get lost. I didn't exactly know where I was going to be going but I knew I needed to get as far away from Kim, Jason, my parents, and the rest of Angel Grove as I could to make sure they were safe.

Putting my bag on my back, I walked out into the hallway. It was quiet, the late hour aiding to this. I knew Alpha would more than likely be charging or in the Command Center, monitoring for an activity. If that were the case, Kim would be with him. I turned towards the hanger, knowing it would be the easiest way for me to sneak out. I stopped though, not able to make myself walk forward. I needed to see her. I needed to see Kim with my own eyes again before I could just vanish. I turned back towards the Command Center and walked towards it.

Through the doorway, I saw it was empty. Alpha was not here and neither was Zordon. Kim was absent as well, leaving me to think she was in her room. I stepped up the hallway more, heading towards their quarters. I could hear soft singing as I approached and I saw that the door was open. I stopped, unsure if this was the right thing to do. If I left without a word, it might be easier for her to deal with. But I wouldn't be able to deal with myself if I did. Taking a deep breath, I walked to the doorway and leaned against it.

Kim was sitting on the edge of her bed, brushing her hair. It was wet, telling me she had just come out of the shower. She was singing softly under her breath as she did, her eyes focused on something on the other side of the room. She had changed into a pair of black shorts and a pink t-shirt, one that clung to the wetness of her skin. Beads of water travelled down her arms and neck as brushed out her caramel locks.

"I figured you show up here at some point." She said, not turning to look at me. I was surprised, not knowing she had seen me here. "That's why I left the door open."

"I didn't mean to just show up." I said, feeling shy.

"Sure you did. That's why you're here." She turned, smiling at me as she dropped her arm to her side that held the brush. Standing, she walked over and put the brush in her open locker. Her eyes landed on the bag on my back and her face fell. "You're leaving." She stated. It wasn't a question.

"Yeah." I replied, feeling sweat coat the inside of my palms. "I can't stay, Kim. It's not safe for you."

"Maybe you should let me decide what's safe for me or not." She said, walking towards me. "I'm a big girl, Tommy. I can take care of myself."

"I have to do this alone." I said, softly. "Whatever this is isn't like Rita or anything else we've fought. It's out to kill anyone in its way and it seems to have its sights set on me. I can't risk you getting hurt. You or anyone else. I'll be back once I take care of it."

"I'm not letting you go off, halfcocked on a suicide mission!" She exclaimed. "We're a team, Tommy. Remember? We all signed on for this and knew that it would be risking our lives. You can't decide what's too dangerous for the rest of us. We're all Power Rangers. We all have a duty to protect the Earth and everyone on it."

"Listen to me." I said, grabbing her shoulders. "You saw that video. And you saw the way Jason looked at me. He thinks I'm guilty just like everyone else here does right now. And there's no way in promising that it's not going to get worse each time this happens. I'm trying to protect you the only way I know how. If I find this thing, I can stop it with as little blood shed as possible. Please don't make this harder than it need to be. I don't want to leave you. I don't want to leave us." I felt a burning sensation behind my eyes as I tried to fight back the tears that were forming.

"Then don't." She whispered, giving me a pleading look. "Stay here. With me. We can fight this thing together. We will find a way to show them that it isn't you and that you aren't the one behind this. Jason is pigheaded sometimes but he will come around. They all will. Don't go, Tommy. I feel like I just got you back. You can't just go." Tears slipped from her eyes and down her cheeks, on landing on the back of my hand that held her shoulder.

"I have to." I said, closing my eyes. I reopened them, feeling a tear escape from my own eye. I released her shoulders and cupped her face in my hands. "I love you, Kimberly. I have loved you from the moment I met you and there's no denying that fact. I wouldn't be doing this if you didn't mean so much to me." I kissed her forehead, lingering there for a moment. "There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect you. I need you to remember that, okay? Remember all of our good times together and how much I love you."

"Tommy…" She trailed off, holding in a sob. I pulled her into me, wrapping my arms around her tightly. Kissing the top of her head, I felt her shake with tears. I hated this. I hated the feeling in my chest. I knew there was a good chance I was never going to see her again. There was a chance I would leave tonight and not be able to stop this force. I could die and not ever see her beautiful eyes again. Touch her soft skin again. Or kiss those lips I've craved so long for. "I love you too." She whispered, grasping my shirt in her hands. "I would die for you."

"I know." I croaked out, the raw emotion thick in my throat. I pulled away slightly so I could look at her face. "That's why I have to go. I understand what Zordon and Jason were trying to warn me about. I'm not about to lose you like that. We are too much of a risk together." She shook her head, pulling away. She wrapped her arms around herself and turned her back to me.

"I wish I had never become a Power Ranger. Then maybe we would have had a chance at a normal relationship. We would have to out everyone else first. We could go on dates and tell people we are together. We could be together and not have to worry about everyone trying to use us against each other. I wouldn't feel like an intergalactic version of Romeo and Juliet." She said. "I'm tired of making all these sacrifices and for what? So that the one thing on the Earth that I want can be taken away from me? How is that fair?" She balled her fists. "I hate this. I hate all of this." She turned to me. "Don't you regret this?"

"No." I said, shaking my head. "Cause then I wouldn't have you." Her expression softened and she let out a little whimper. Taking three long steps, she put her pressed her lips to mine.


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N: Hey, guys! Hope everyone is staying safe. Our state has been put on hold (again!) until May 15th. I'm happy to say that I think I'll be able to finish this fic in that time. I really hope you all are enjoying it. :)**_

_**Stay safe and happy reading!**_

* * *

_**Ranger Slayer**_

After I was able to recover from whatever the hell washed over me after seeing Trini, I continued my journey in trying to track down Drakkon. I headed south to the abandoned warehouses, checking each one for signs of him. There were none, the only living things I found were rats that scurried away when I teleported there. I was growing increasingly more worried about Drakkon and where he could be. Angel Grove was a bit on the bigger side when it came to cities and there were hundreds of places he could be. I couldn't keep teleporting around either. People would become suspicious of the repeat pink lights in the sky. Especially if they were Power Rangers and knew I wasn't the Kimberly of this world.

When I had cleared all of the warehouses, I opted to head towards the docks to those abandoned buildings. This area of town wasn't as dead as the other, workers and fishers hanging out on boats and other vessels in the port. I would need to be careful of not being seen and to make sure that Drakkon wasn't seen as well. I walked through town, staying with my head down and avoiding eye contact. It was growing easier, the sun setting and the people of Angel Grove going to their homes to avoid the dangers of the Green Ranger they had seen on the news.

I reached the docks a little before midnight, the moon shining down off of the water. I morphed here, knowing I could move quicker this way. I did a check of the perimeter, making note of what I was working with here. There were four five story building and two four story, a security shack in the center of them all. There was a light on in the shack, telling me someone was inside. I could hear voices carrying through the air and I spotted two workers on a dock at the far right part of the shoreline. They were laughing loudly as they loading items onto a boat, the sound traveling in the air. I hid in the shadows, watching them until they climbed into the small ship themselves.

I moved from building to building, searching each floor for Drakkon. There were a few homeless people in the first building that I kept my distance from. I knew Drakkon would not stay close to people. He would be looking for somewhere that he could be by himself and stay low. He would also want to stay close to town to have access to victims. If that was going to be his plan, he needed to be able to find them quickly. I did not doubt his abilities. I had seen Drakkon kill hundreds of people in just a matter of short time. I did doubt his ability to control his emotions though. His anger did tend to get the best of him and I knew that it could cause him to strike out with an unwise move. I was also unsure of how this world was affecting him. If it was causing him harm like it was for me, there was no telling what could happen.

As I cleared the third building, I stood on the roof of it. I gazed out into the night sky, trying to think of what my next move after this would be. If he wasn't in this district, I didn't know where to go from there. There was a chance he could be somewhere else that was inhabited but I didn't have the time to check everywhere in Angel Grove. I would need to search the town for him, hoping to stumble across him while he stalked one of his victims.

A loud noise behind me caused me to jump. Turning, I saw a large mass emerging from the ocean. The surface bubbled and splashed loudly as I recognized the Dragonzord rise up from the ocean. The green and silver chrome mec stood fully erect in the bay, the large structure taller than any building in the next twelve miles. The moon reflected off of its metal armor, casting a faint glow from it. A loud cry came from the Dragonzord as it moved forward, heading out of the water. Had Tommy Oliver called on his zord? Was there a battle occurring somewhere I hadn't seen?

As I looked around, I saw a figure standing in a loading dock on the building across from me. I could just make out the green of the armor and I knew at once I had found Drakkon. There was no doubting this was him just from the shape of his form. He was more muscular than Tommy Oliver and taller, his body more built from age and his time in training. The dagger was to his mouth, playing the familiar tune that commanded the zord. I moved to jump from the building and to head to Drakkon but was cut off the Dragonzord appearing between the two structures. I watched as Drakkon jumped up, landing on the head of the metal beast. He disappeared inside and the Dragonzord continued to walk forward, heading directly for town. Below, I could hear the yelling of the men who had been in the boat. They were scurrying around, trying to find somewhere safe to hide.

Jumping from the roof, I landed in the parking lot. I could hear the screams of people in the distance and the clash of metal against concrete. Drakkon was swinging the Dragonzord's arms widely, taking out anything in his way. The ground shook with each step it took, houses and cars under foot not standing a chance. I ran towards it, doing my best to stay unseen as people ran from their homes. Fear was on their faces as they looked up at the mechanical dragon that at one time had protected them from danger. Now, it was destroying their homes, their businesses, and more than likely killing people around them.

An explosion above made me look up and I saw the missiles shoot from the chest area of the zord. One roared out of its chamber, colliding with a skyscraper nearby. It seemed to erupt into flames on the spot, debris falling down from it like hazardous rain. I tucked in an alley, avoiding anything falling. Around me, others were not so lucky. I could hear them getting flattened to death by the concrete and other building materials as they fell from the sky. More explosions came, the missiles striking target after target.

"Someone help me! Please!" A woman's voice cried out to my right. Turning, I saw a woman about my age standing there. She was in a floral night gown with a bathrobe wrapped around her. Panic was on her face as she tried to desperately yank open a car door in front of her. The car had been damaged, a large piece of a building landing on the roof. It was caved in, the glass shattered out of the windows. Why the hell was she trying to get into a car that would do no help in this case? That's when I saw the tiny hands on the edge of the window. The face of a young boy, probably about four, was there. He looked scared and was trying to reach out for his mother. He wasn't able to fit out through the window and his mother couldn't get the door open. "PLEASE HELP ME!" The woman screamed out, her eyes looking around frantically.

"Son of a bitch." I muttered, sighing. I glanced towards the Dragonzord that was focused on bringing down an apartment building. I raced forward, avoiding debris as I ran.

"Oh thank god." She breathed when she saw me. "Please help me get my son out."

"Stand back." I said. She took four steps back as I pulled my bow from my back. I jammed the tip of it between the door and the edge of the door. Using everything I had in me, I pushed against it. There was a metal screeching noise and it opened slightly. An explosion happened nearby, causing us to jump. The little boy let out a scream and began to cry loudly.

"It's coming back!" The woman screamed. I turned up to the sky, seeing that the Dragonzord had turned and was indeed making its way back towards us. I swore, pushing again. The door gave more, still not enough for the boy to escape. The ground shook harder as the zord grew closer. My heart thundered in my chest as I saw that the car the boy was in was directly in the path of the zord's foot. I pulled the bow back and jammed it into the space repeatedly, creating a bigger area for me to jimmy the blade into. Once it was secured, I applied all of my weight to it. The door gave, sending me falling to the side. I pushed myself back up, seeing the Dragonzord looming over us. I pulled the door open as wide as I could, grabbing the little boy. Diving out of the way, we landed on the sidewalk as the car was flattened under the foot of the zord. I cradled the boy in my arms as I lifted my head, seeing a crack in the visor of my helmet.

"You saved him. Thank you so much." The mother said, bringing me back to reality. She took the boy from my arms, holding him tightly to her. She took off running down the alley I had been hiding in, disappearing from sight. I pulled myself back to my feet, grabbing my bow. Adrenaline was coursing through my body as I followed behind her. I stopped to turn back, watching the zord. I saw Drakkon jump from the head and land in the hand of it. Streaks of light filled the sky above us, signaling the arrival of the Power Rangers. Drakkon jumped again, disappearing before he even touched the ground.

"Where the fuck did you go now?" I whispered, stepping out of the alley. Above me, the lights sped up and slammed into the ground. The red, blue, and yellow rangers stood there when the light vanished, the three of them looking at a loss of what to do first. Trini turned, running towards a group of civilians who were injured. Billy followed after her, pulling something from his waist line. Jason went to follow but stopped, his attention turning in my direction. I could just see him in the heated air above a burning car.

"You!" He called out, pointing at me. He sprinted, heading right for me. Turning on my heel, I darted to the left. I ran as fast as I could, dodging passed dumpsters and piles of garbage bags. I gripped my bow tightly in my hand, pulling back with my other and sent out arrow after arrow. They whizzed through the air, nearly hitting the red ranger. He managed to move out of the way in time, ducking before the arrow could collide with his head. I heard a crackling of energy and a blast of red light appeared in front of me as he teleported. I skidded to a stop, loading another arrow. I pointed it directly at him and saw that he stood there, his power blaster aimed for my head. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Well, that's not very nice." I said, holding my stance.

"I'm not in the friendliest of moods right now." He snarled. "Who are you and why are you attacking the city?"

"Me? Please. You see what zord is out there. Maybe you should talk to the driver of that. I hear Tommy Oliver has the title these days." I saw him tense up and I knew that he had already been thinking that.

"Where is he?"

"He took off. It's a shame, isn't it? You think you know a person until something like this happens. Tell me, Jason. Do you think that Tommy did that silly evil laugh while he slaughtered those people? I could hear it now." I let out a little laugh. "It was probably the last thing they heard. The last thing they probably thought was where, oh where, are the Power Rangers to save the day? Where were you, Jason? You made a promise to protect these people but yet, they keep dying under your watchful eye."

"Shut up." He said through gritted teeth. "Tell me who you are."

"Don't think too hard about it, Jase. Wouldn't want you to hurt that pretty little head of yours. I know you don't have much more than muscle to work with in there to begin with." I mused, cocking my head to the side.

"Jason!" Trini's voice called out as her and Billy appeared next to their leader. They stopped when they saw me, shocked to see another Ranger there. Zack was with them now as well, the black Ranger morphed. The three of them glanced between Jason and me, trying to determine what was going on.

"Ah. Well would you look at that. The band is nearly all here." I called out, not moving the tip of my arrow. I didn't want Jason to get the idea he could have the upper hand.

"Who are you?" Zack called out to me. "Where did you come from?"

"You all are much more dense than I remembered."

"That's Kimberly." Trini said, though her tone was soft I could still hear her. Zack looked from me to her, shaking his head.

"No fucking way." Zack replied.

"She's correct. Not our Kimberly but still Kimberly." Billy stated, pressing something on the side of his helmet. "I can't get a read on her origins however."

"Billy, Billy, Billy. You always were my favorite." I said, sighing. "What a shame." I shifted suddenly, releasing the arrow. It pierced through the air, heading straight for the blue ranger. There was scuffling as the group moved out of the way. I took the opportunity to flip backwards, getting out of the aim of Jason. Once I was free, I teleported from the area.

* * *

I teleported back to the marina area, landing on the roof of the building I had seen Drakkon in before. I unmorphed, allowing myself to gulp fresh salt filled air. Smoke was still billowing in the air from the carnage, the red glow of fire burning bright enough for me to see. I could also still make out the outline for the Dragonzord, it now standing lifeless in the middle of the destruction it had been used for. Shaking my head, I walked over to the door that led to the stairwell and climbed down to the top floor.

Walking into the large empty space, I spotted an area in the far corner that had been made into a bedroom of sorts. I knew this was where Drakkon had been staying. The smell of him was in the air and a number of his favorite food items were tucked away in a bag near the bed. I sat on the edge of it, resting my forehead on my palm. My brain was doing 90 miles an hour trying to grasp what had happened tonight. I have fought in many battles with Drakkon. I had walked with him in many sieges during the beginning of his control. I've seen him bring down people with just one move of his hand. But I have never seen him just attack a city with so much little regard for life before. Especially that of children. The part of him that had been Tommy had left some mercy in his heart, allowing him to spare the innocent ones like children in our mission. This attack had probably at least injured thousands of people if not killed that many, including men, women, and children. It made my stomach turn.

"You're here." A voice said, pulling me from my thoughts. Looking up, I saw Drakkon approaching me. He was unmorphed, his slender form in the green under shirt and black sweat pants I had last seen him in. I noticed there was something in his hands as he came closer. When he stopped in front of me, I recognized it as a small radio. He set it atop a crate that was near the bed. "You're just in time to listen to the aftermath of my work."

"I saw it." I said, standing.

"Why are you here? I don't recall asking for your help." He said, stepping towards me. "Though, I will admit I am glad you are here." Leaning in, he pressed his lips to mine in a surprisingly sweet gesture. This was unlike him. He was not one for acts like this. It was too human like for him to show such affection without having a reasoning behind it.

"I was worried when we hadn't heard from you." I replied. It was odd for him to speak like this. I saw a spark in his eyes that reminded me of a younger Drakkon I had been with years ago. "I came to assist you to ensure a quicker return."

"What's the rush?" He asked, flipping on the radio. He turned the dial for a moment, static mixing with blasts of talking. He stopped when he heard clearer talking. "This world has more resources for us to take. More power for use to steal. More for us to control."

"This isn't our world." I said. "We have ours. You already control it."

"But we could have both." He reached out and took my hands in his. "Kimberly, we could take over this place and reign over both sides of the Morphing Grid. The universe would have to answer to us. There would be no denying my leadership with the power of the entire grid in my control."

"You attacked people who had nothing to do with it though." I stated, gazing up into his eyes. "Women and children."

"Sometimes, sacrifices need to be made for the greater good."

"Sacrifices? You almost crushed a five year old to death with the Dragonzord!" His gaze hardened as he released my hands.

"Did you intervene?" He questioned. I paused, turning away from him. I knew he was going to punish me. I could sense it the moment his air changed around him. "Answer me."

"Yes." I replied. "I did."

"You defied me. Again." He said as I slowly turned to face him. I saw the green flash in his eyes as he stepped closer, his figure towering over me.

"In our world, you never blindly attacked children. They have nothing to do with this. Your mission should involve targeting the Power Rangers. If you wish to take over this world, there are better tactics you can use to weaken them." I felt the dull throb of the pain coming back into the back of my skull.

"You dare question me and my moves? You wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for me. I wouldn't have slaughtered you like the rest of your Ranger friends. I have given you everything you could possibly ask for and you believe you have grounds to tell me how to take on my enemies?" He moved quickly, grabbing me by the throat. I didn't have the time to react until it was too late. He applied pressure to his palm, cutting off the air in my windpipe. I brought my hands up, clawing at his. He lifted me off the ground, slamming me into the wall behind me.

"Please." I gasped, trying to get air into my lungs. I kicked my legs, trying to get him away from me.

"Perhaps I should show you exactly why I'm the one in charge here." He whispered into my ear. He released slightly, allowing the smallest amount of air in. I gulped it up, unsure how long I had. He grabbed the front of shirt with his other hand, ripping it off of me in one quick motion. He did the same with my pants, leaving me naked and exposed to the chilly air of the warehouse. His eyes locked with mine, them flashing green again. As they did, rope appeared on my wrists and ankles. It snaked around them, binding them together. The rope brought my hands behind my back, leaving me unable to try to pry his hand off my throat. I did my best to kick against the restraints on my feet but they were too strong. I had never seen him do this before. His powers typically consisted of putting up barriers or things of that nature. He had never made items materialize like this out of thin air. Is powers must be growing being so close to other Power Coins.

Releasing my throat, he scooped me up into his arms and walked me over to the bed. He tossed me down like a sack of potatoes, not caring to be gentle. I winced in pain as I struggled against the ropes. They tied my hands behind my back at the wrist and elbow, ensuring I couldn't move my arms at all. I did manage to roll on my stomach, bending my knees. The ties around my ankles slipped, freeing my feet. If I could get to the edge of the bed, I could somehow run out of here.

He appeared on the side of the bed, grabbing a handful of my hair. I let out a loud cry as he yanked, forcing me to kneel on my knees in the center of the bed. He had pulled his own hair back into a ponytail, keeping it from his eyes. I tried to pull away but it seemed to only snare my hair more into his hand. Tears brimmed my eyes from the pain and I blinked it away.

"Some dogs need to be beat repeated before they understand who their master is." He said, pulling so I was arching my back. "It seems that you've become one of them."

"I'm sorry." I said, shaking my head. "I will follow you."

"I know you will." He replied. Reaching his hand around, he clasped me left breast in it. He took the nipple between his pointer finger and thumb firmly. He pulled forward, a sharp pain coming from it. I yelped, bending to follow it. He didn't stop, pulling harder. My cry turned into a scream, the pain filling me. It felt like it was going to tear off at any moment. He let go, letting out a soft chuckle in my air as he moved to the other breast. He repeated the action, causing me to scream again. This was different than our times together before. Sure, there would be pain. It was what got him off. But there would also be pleasure that followed. There was no pleasure in that. Just pain.

Drakkon released my hair, shoving me down on the bed face first. Using his foot, re rolled me over so that I was on my back. Looking up at him, I saw he now had the Dragon dagger in his hand. My eyes widened and I tried to scoot away from him, digging my feet into the mattress. It was no use. I couldn't get proper footing on the thin blanket that was on top of it. He climbed onto the bed, pinning my pelvis under him as he straddled me.

"Perhaps I've been approaching this the wrong way." He said, bringing the dagger down so that the point was between my breasts. The cool steel of the blade caused goosebumps on my skin. My heart was beating hard in my chest and fear was creeping into the back of my head. "Perhaps you need a mark to remind you just who you belong to."

"Please, no." I said in a whisper. "I'm loyal to you. Please don't do this."

"You keep saying but your actions don't show this." He said. He leaned in close, his face hovering over mine.

"I love you." Tears filled my eyes as I looked up at him. "I would do anything for you, Lord Drakkon."

"I know you would." He said softly, pressing his lips to mine. Relief filled my chest as he did. As he pulled away, he smiled down at me as he stood. Green flashed in his eyes again and suddenly, I was whipped over on to my stomach. The ropes binding my arms moved, tying at my wrists. I watched as they pulled my arms over my head and secured them to metal support beams above the bed. They were so tight, I couldn't even move them. Ropes tied around my ankles as well, pulling me spread eagle. I was strung up, unable to move at all and hung about a foot above the bed. "But, I need to make sure you remember this."

"No!" I said. A sharp pain dug into the skin of my back and I let out a loud scream. It continued as it continued. I could feel the sharp blade of the dagger move, carving something into me. Warm blood trickled down my ribs and tears streamed out of my eyes as I let out loud screams with each movement of the blade. I closed my eyes, trying to mentally find a place where I wouldn't be able to feel this. He reached out and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"From now on, you'll forever be branded as mine, Kimberly. You'll never be able to forget who made you what you are today." His entire body was glowing green, telling me he was powering the blade with magic. "I'll always have your back."

"Please stop." I sobbed out, wishing it would just end. That he would finally just kill me.

"I'm just about done." He said, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. I dropped my head when he pulled away, squeezing my eyes shut. A few minutes later, the blade stopped and the sharp pain went with it. It left a dull pain in its place, the air causing it to sting. The ropes holding me gave slack and set me on the bed before disappearing. Reaching down, he brushed hair out of my eyes. "Clean yourself up. We have Power Coins to collect."


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: And here's another chapter that is rated M. Enjoy! :D**_

* * *

_**Kimberly**_

When my lips met with Tommy's, I could feel all of the pent up raw emotion I had been saving flow out of me. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he bent down and picked me up by the waist. I knew from the moment he walked into my doorway that he was going to tell me something I didn't like. It was clear in the expression on his face. I had seen it before after he was freed from Rita's control. And when I saw his bag, I knew that I had been right. He was leaving. He was leaving the team.

He was leaving me.

How could he think this was the right thing to do? After all we have been through, he should know that we were stronger as a team and that we could find a way to fix all of this. We've done it hundreds of times by now. We've taken on Goldar and almost defeated him. We've gone against whatever Rita can imagine. There had to be a way we could work together to get to the bottom of what was going on. How could he think going off on his own was the only answer? It was a suicide mission and we both knew that.

When the image of the Green Ranger first appeared on the viewing globe, I will admit that I was sure I was looking at Tommy. The person had the same walk as him and similar attacks that I've seen him use. But the moment I saw him reach out and kill those people, I knew it wasn't him. I don't know how I knew but I just did. The rest of the guys didn't either. After Jason had left, I assisted Alpha with some scans. We worked mostly in quiet, him understanding the weight of what had happened. Zordon had also left, saying he was going to try to reach his counsel to find some answers. I was at a loss, knowing Tommy didn't want to speak to me right now. I knew to give him space but I wanted to comfort him.

"Give them time." Alpha had said out of the blue. "They will realize that it's not him.

"How can you be so sure?" I had questioned. The small robot shrugged his shoulders as he worked.

"Because he wouldn't still be here if he had done it."

From that moment, I had no doubt in my mind that Tommy was being framed. And I knew it had something to do with that other strange Pink Ranger we had been attack by in the park. I wasn't sure how the two were connected but something told me it wasn't going to be an easy task in taking them down. They made Rita look like the bully in a bad after school special. This was going to be something we had never faced before and we were going to need everyone to work together to do that. But if Tommy was gone, would we be able to do it alone?

Pulling away, Tommy set me down on my feet again. I took his hand in mine and pulled, walking towards the bed. The door closed behind him when he walked away from it, sealing us off from the rest of the Command Center. I stopped when we were next to my bed and I pushed Tommy gently until he was sitting on the edge of it. He looked up at me confused but I shook my head. Letting go of his hand, I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. His eyes widened as he saw my exposed torso, something that made me let out a small giggle. I travelled south, pulling my shorts and underwear off as well.

"Kim, I-." I pressed a finger to his lips, cutting him off.

"It's okay." I whispered, smiling at him. Putting my hands on his shoulders, I climbed onto his lap so that I was straddling him. Leaning in, I kissed him. He wrapped on arm around my waist and placed his other hand on my right breast. He kneed it under his fingers, rubbing his thumb over the bud of it. I let out a little gasp into his mouth when he did, enjoying the sensation. He moved onto the other breast, continuing to kiss me with a growing fever. I snaked my fingers into his hair, loving the thickness of it between them. He shifted, laying me on the bed. His body weight on top of me felt nice and secure, the warmth of him against me made my heart swell.

Cupping my face in his hands, he gave me a couple of quick yet lingering kisses before moving to my neck. He lingered here as well, using his tongue to lap at my pulse and trace my collar bone. His fingers continued to explore my body, running down the length of my torso where he cupped my butt in his palms. His mouth latched onto my left nipple, his teeth teasing the sensitive skin. The mixture of his hot breath and the cool air made my back arch at his touch. He did the same with my other breast, keeping the same pace. His hands kneeded the flesh of my behind as he shifted. His lips left a trail of kisses from my cleavage down to my belly button. He took my legs, bending them at the knees and spread them. Reaching behind him, he pulled his shirt off and over his head. It joined the pile of my clothes on the floor. Stopping, Tommy looked down at me.

"What?" I asked, propping myself up on my elbows. He shook his head.

"Nothing. I just never want to forget this moment with you." He whispered. I sat up and pulling him towards me, kissing him. He pressed his forehead against me when he pulled away.

"That'll never happen." I whispered.

Reaching down, I pulled at his sweat pants. He shifted, pulling them and his boxers off. This left him nude as well, the first time I had ever seen a boy in such a way in person. Tommy and I had done our share of making out and some other stuff but nothing close to this. I had always imagined waiting until I was older and with the guy I had planned on marrying. But as I looked up at Tommy who was positioning himself over me, I knew that we were end game. That even if we die in battle tomorrow, we were supposed to be together. The connection between us didn't just happen between people every day. Something had brought him here to Angel Grove, just like how something had Zordon select me to be a Ranger. Maybe it was fate or destiny. All I knew was that Tommy was the only person I was ever going to love with my entire heart and that this was the right choice.

Tommy glanced down at me after he was between my legs. I gave him a quick nod. Reaching between us, he ran a finger down the slit of my entrance. The touch made me jump slightly, the feeling of electricity following it. He repeated the action, the feeling growing with each touch. I closed my eyes, tossing my head back into the pillow. Tension was building in my abdomen as he picked up the pace and I heard his name coming from my mouth. My entire body suddenly shuddered as an explosion of pleasure rippled across my entire body. A loud cry emitted from my mouth as I dug my nails into his shoulders. He kissed my neck as the orgasm began to ebb away.

As is subsided, Tommy placed his hands on either side of my torso and lined his hips up with mine. I felt him against me, the ridged flesh felt soft against my skin. He maneuvered until the tip of it slid slowly inside of me. It was a foreign feeling and it felt tight. I did my best to relax, knowing that there was going to be some pain. I had read about it in one of my mother's Cosmo magazines. Losing your virginity was something that girls thought about all the time. I wonder if other girls had to worry about dying at the hand of evil monsters as well. No? Just me? Okay then.

"Hey." He said. Tommy leaned down, putting his weight on his elbows. "Hold on to me, okay? We'll go slowly."

"Okay." I whispered. I wrapped my arms under his arms, holding him close to me. Slowly, he started to push forward. The tightness grew but it wasn't unbearable. He pressed his lips to mine, taking my mind from it. Pulling his hips back, he pushed back in. It was a bit more painful now and I let out a small wince. He did it again, the pain less. I spread my legs more, allowing him more room. The more he worked his way inside and out, the more the pain disappeared.

I released my grasp on him, allowing my hands to explore the muscles of his back. They were tight and I could feel scars from battles on his skin. I thought of our time as enemies when he was the evil Green Ranger. I thought about our time when he first joined our team. I thought about the time when he had no powers and was no longer here with us. Tommy and I had gone through so much in our short time together that people who have been married for decades have never. I watched him run head first into battle countless time with only the thought of others on his mind. I've seen him cry over the idea of not being there to help people. And I've watched him risk his life time after time to save others. Including me. He's been saving me from the first moment he met me and I knew deep down that he would never stop. Jason and Zordon were right. Tommy was right too. We were a bigger risk together than we were apart.

That tension from before started to build again, deeper this time. Tommy's hips began to move faster and I moved to match his momentum. He held me close to him, whispering my name in my ear as I felt him tremble under my fingers. I clung to him, feeling the fuse of the explosion being lit between us. I cried out his name, wrapping my legs around his waist. He swore, going even faster now. I went from teetering over the edge to falling over it. I nearly screamed out his name, his voice mixing with mine as we came together. I felt tears spring to my eyes as the feeling ebbed away that turned into sobs. Tommy rolled over onto his side, pulling me into his chest.

"I love you, Beautiful."

"I love you, too."

* * *

It took some time for me to calm down. When I did, I laid there in Tommy's arms. I could hear his heart beating in his chest in sync with mine. He stroke my hair and my back, his thumb tracing small circle on the skin of my back. I closed my eyes, willing this moment to last forever. If it did, he wouldn't leave. We could just be together. The rest of the world wouldn't matter.

My happy thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the blaring sound of the alarm. I jumped up from the bed, Tommy next to me.

"What's going on?" I asked, grabbing my clothes. I handed his and he started pulling them on quickly.

"I don't know. Probably another attack." He said. I pulled my shirt over my head and yanked my shorts up, neglecting the thought of underwear. I shoved my feet into my sneakers and slammed my hand on the door to open it. Together, we raced up the hallway to the Command Center. Alpha was there, his hands in the air as he tried to figure out what was going on. Zordon has also returned, him looking grave. I covered my ears, the noise louder here.

"What is it, Alpha?" I asked.

"Oh, it's awful!" He exclaimed. I went to question him more when blasts of red, yellow, blue, and black lights appeared next to us. When Jason, Trini, Billy, and Zack materialized, I saw that they were in their uniforms. Zack reached up and grabbed him helmet, ripping it off. He threw it to the side, his eyes set on Tommy. His face was filled the rage, something I had never seen before. He took long strides until he was in front of Tommy. Pulling his arm back, he swung and nailed Tommy in the mouth with his fist. This sent Tommy backwards, landing on his rear-end. I let out a gasp, covering my mouth.

"You sick son of a bitch!" Zack roared, running over and bending down. He continued to try and hit Tommy, his blows landing blindly as Tommy covered his face with his hands.

"Zack, stop it!" I yelled, grabbing his arm. He shoved me back, turning his attention back to Tommy. Jason and Billy ran over, grabbing him by the arms. He struggled against them as I helped Tommy to his feet. He had a busted lip, blood trickling from it. "What the hell is the matter with you?" I screamed.

"The psychopath just attacked Angel Grove. He destroyed my entire neighborhood with the Dragonzord. He almost killed my entire family!" Zack yelled. I noticed he had a bloody gash under his right eye and dirt smeared all over his face.

"What?" I asked. Trini pulled her helmet off, setting it on the control panel.

"The Dragonzord was called. It attacked the north part of the city. Whoever we saw on that video was there again." She explained. "Now it's been locked off so we can't use it in battle or remove it from the streets."

"Well, it wasn't Tommy." I said. "He was here the whole time."

"Oh, yeah? Like he was the last time you said he was?" Zack asked. He had calmed down enough that the others let him go. Both Jason and Billy removed their helmet.

"I was here, packing my shit." Tommy said before I could answer. I looked at him but he shook his head. He didn't want me to tell them the truth. I could read it in his eyes. "I was going to take off to find whoever it was doing all of this."

"Pretty convenient, isn't it?" Zack asked. "A Green Ranger attacks and you pack up to bolt? So who is she?"

"Who?" Tommy asked.

"The other Ranger." Jason replied. "She was there too. The one that attacked you."

"Did she say anything?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yeah. That Tommy was the one behind everything." He answered.

"And the energy readings I scanned showed Tommy's DNA profile." Billy added, looking comprehensively at me. I shook my head.

"You're all wrong! It couldn't have been him."

"Kim, you're just defending him because it's Tommy." Trini said, giving me a sad smile. "But I mean all the evidence points to him."

"I know it's not Tommy because he was here with me all night in my bed!" I exclaimed loudly, the words seeming to echo off of the walls around us. The group paused, looking at me. "We've been in there for hours. We just left there not five minutes before you teleported here too. So I know for a fact that Tommy couldn't have attacked Angel Grove."

"You two have still been seeing each other?" Jason questioned stepping around Zack. "Even after the warning we all gave you?"

"Lay off her." Tommy said, stepping in front of me. "We've got bigger things to worry about right now."

"Why do you think all this is happening?" Jason asked, a hard expression on his face.

"Jason is correct." Zordon said, breaking his silence. "Tommy and Kimberly, by continuing your relationship, you've laid the groundwork for this to happen."

"You're saying that what's happening is because of us?" I questioned. "How?"

"Because that Ranger is you." Billy said. "She appears to be you from either the future or a alternate timeline altogether."

"How can that be?" Trini asked. "How is she here then?"

"The union of the two Power Coins that Tommy and Kim possess have created a stronger rift in the Morphing Grid. I believe that when the grid was used to regenerate Tommy's powers, it connected us with another universe." Zordon stated. We all shifted to look up at him. "When we are born, our fate is laid out ahead of us in a series of events. At times, these events are shifted and create connections with other people. With the connection of Tommy and Kimberly, it has created a portal leading to the fall of our world. A greater evil has been released." My stomach dropped as the tension in the room grew heavier. Could it be true? Could Tommy and I just being together cause this to happen? Was this all our fault? Were we responsible for these people dying?

"We told you." Jason said, shoving Tommy in the chest. "We warned you both multiple times. Now look what you've done."

"This isn't the time for that." Trini said. "It's already done. We need to figure out a way to stop this before more people end up dead."

"You heard Zordon. This is the end of our world. What are we supposed to do?" Zack said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "How could you do this? Especially you, Kim."

"I didn't mean for this to happen." I whispered, tears filling my eyes. "I didn't know."

"Zordon, what can we do?" Billy asked, raising his head to look up at Zordon. The reflection of him shone off his glasses.

"We will need to locate these strangers in our world and determine where they've come from. We will also need to determine what type of powers we are dealing with." He replied, his voice booming above us. "We will also need to find the entrance of the grid and discover a way to close."

"If that Ranger is Kimberly from another world, it's only reasonable that this other person is a version of Tommy." Trini said, resting her hands on her hips. "We will just need to find them and see what they want. There has to be a reason why they are targeting Angel Grove and us."

"How are we supposed to find them? There's no telling if they are even still here or if they have been jumping between worlds." I asked, glancing over at Tommy. He dabbed at his busted lip with his hand, wincing from the contact.

"It'll be easy." Billy said, walking over to the Viewing Globe. "They're attacking the city right now."


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N: Hey, everyone! I know it's been a few days. I hope all is well and you're safe. Here is another chapter. I hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Drakkon**_

The bright streaks of day break coated Angel Grove in a warm glow. The still smouldering ruins of the buildings that had been destroyed earlier were covered in a thick film of dust, those still looking for people who had survived kicking it up as they worked. Now and then, there would be a call for help and people would rush in. Police officers, firemen, and EMTS had been working since my attack, saving whoever they could. I stood on the roof of the warehouse, taking in the view with a smile on my face. This was the work I had done and the havoc I had caused. And this was only the beginning.

The Dragonzord stood high about the ruins, the dust also coating the lower part of its body. It had done well, following my commands without much of a hitch. I felt seventeen driving the beast, reminding me of the power I had at such a young age. Rita had supplied me with a wonderful machine, one that I used to attack the Rangers again and again. It had been the weapon I had used to destroy the Command Center which led to the downfall of Jason and Zordon. It will always have a place in my arsenal and I had plans on using it once I had taken over this world as well.

Behind me, I heard the door open and close. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Kimberly walking towards me. She was in uniform, her helmet tucked into the crook of her elbow as she walked. I saw a wince on her face that she stifled, no doubt the wound I had inflicted on her causing pain in the suit. I turned back to the town and she stopped next to me, her cape billowing slightly in the sea salt air. I could see the expression on her face as she casted her eyes out. She looked troubled and yet determined, straightening her shoulders.

"This will be our new beginning." I stated, looking back out over Angel Grove. "It's ripe for the taking."

"Yes, Lord Drakkon." She replied, her hand resting on the hilt of her bow at her side. I smirked, enjoying that my message had gotten through to her. She was going to be my only ally here until Finster was able to send over some of my army. It was going to take some time, the portal only transporting one person at a time. With the advancement of my powers in this world, I was able to open my own portal of the grid without the use of a power coin. The only issue was that it moved with each person passing through, unable to pinpoint a stable coordinate. Finster had begun sending troops last night, their numbers growing and coming this way. The Dragonzord would do until they arrive. I had locked it's mechanics before leaving before, it being immobile to anyone but me. Not even Tommy Oliver of this world would be able to awaken it.

"I will lead the attack. I will need you to follow my commands at all times. Once we have them weakened, I will need to move in and seize their power coins. With them, it'll be no question of victory." I cracked my knuckles, dropping my hands down to wear my morpher rested. I morphed, the green uniform of the Green Ranger appearing around me.

"Lord Drakkon, I thought Finster had granted you the power to fully morph." She asked, turning to face me. I nodded, adjusting my gloves.

"That he did. It'll all make sense soon. Let's go." I jumped up on the ledge of the building and flipped off, teleporting half way down. I zipped through the air, heading towards the Dragonzord. I saw the pink flash behind me, telling me that Kimberly was following. I landed on the shoulder of the zord, materializing. Kim landed next to me, her helmet now in place. "Follow me. I am going to the park. We are going to destroy as much as possible on our way." I saw her tense up but she didn't object, only nodding.

"Yes, my lord." She said, jumping from the Zord. I watched as she landed on the ground in front of the towering machine. I climbed into the control panel, sealing the latch behind me. The computer came to life when I touched the helm, the arms rising into the air. I maneuvered them down, the metal claws colliding with the ruins of a taller building that was semi still standing in place. It collapsed in a poof of dust, windows shattering as I did.

Moving forward, I steered for a course towards the center of town. My forces had been advised to meet here, an open area that would provide more of an advantage for us. I swung the tail of the zord back and forth as I made a slow pace towards the park. It cleared everything in its path; buildings, cars, trees. People emerged from them, screaming and racing for cover. I didn't hesitate to lift the foot of the Dragonzord and bring it down on a large group of them. I could hear the screams suddenly stop and a wide smile crossed my lips at the thought of them being silenced forever.

Ahead of me, I saw that Kimberly was running right along and keeping up with me. She was darting past the falling debris, shooting airs towards people as they ran in the streets. She was a very nimble and graceful creature to watch, her moves much like that of a crane in flight. She hopped from the top of a building as I brought it down, riding pieces of it down to the street like a surfer on a wave. On the ground, she continued to attack. My lesson had done it's trick it seemed. She was back to the person I had made her. The fighter that was inside of the small girl who was screaming for an escape. PErhaps she would be able to be released from the spell after this was complete. The effects may have run deep enough for her to realize that she was meant for this life with me.

"Sire." Finster's voice said in my ear. "I have an update for you."

"What is it?" I asked, firing missiles. They whistled through the air and collided with the high school. The left wing of the building exploded, cars lined in the parking lot flying through the air from the impact.

"The portal is rejecting your forces." He said, his voice sounding tired in my ear. "I've done what I've been able to do. If we put too much strain on it, we will not be able to return you and the Ranger Slayer back to our world."

"That's troubling." I muttered, growling under my breath. "Is the portal stable now?"

"For the time being. You will need to return soon. After that, we will be able to re-open it and work on building its strength." I shifted the Dragonzord to the right, the park coming into view beyond the buildings in front of me. Frustration got the best of me and I slammed my hand down on the panel. Two more missiles fired from the chest plate, demolishing the three blocks of houses in front of me. It leveled a path that allowed me to advance without much obstruction in its wake.

"Inform me when the portal will need to be closed. I will work quickly and obtain the coins by then."

"Yes, sire. Please do be careful. I will be unable to communicate with you to bring you back to our world if the portal closes before you return."

"Thank you, Finster."

Just like clockwork, I saw streaks of light moving in the sky. The red, yellow, and blue were there but this time, they were joined by black, pink, and I was happy to see green there. They zigzagged through the sky before landing in the grass of the park. The six of them were in their uniforms, ready for battle. Jason was in the middle, Zack on his right with Billy next to him. On his other side, Kimberly stood and then Tommy. Each was in a stance though they were looking around them at the chaos. Civilians were running all around the area, trying to decide where the safest place would be. I pulled the Dragonzord to a stop, freezing the controls with a wave of my hand. SHoving open the hatch, I climbed from the panel to the top of the head.

"Hey!" Jason's deep voice called, pointing up at me. "Who are you?"

"Don't you worry about that, Rangers." I said, holding my hands out. I felt the power glow through me and a green light enveloped me inside of it, lifting me into the air. I hoovered for a moment, my eyes casted down to them. LEaning forward, I slowly floated down to Earth. I landed on my feet in front of the Zord, my hands resting on my belt. "You will know who I am and you will never forget it, I assure you."

"It doesn't matter who you are because we're going to stop you." Zack said, holding his fist up.

"Right. Like I haven't heard that before." I sighed, bringing my hand to my morpher. "Well, then let me introduce myself to you then." I pressed the button and felt the energy surge through my veins as my regular armor appeared on my skin. "I am Lord Drakkon. I am the ruler of worlds, the victory of thousands, and the destroyer of the Power Rangers." I lowered myself, landing on the cracked asphalt at the feet of the Dragonzord. "If you surrender now, I promise to make your deaths quick and painless."

"I know you're not from around here but we don't give up that easily." Jason called out, reminding me of the stupid remarks he used to make to try to build moral or whatever when they were about to face off against opponets. "We won't stop until you're gone."

"Those are the worlds I was hoping for." I said, cracking my knuckles. I needed to get as many power coins as I could. Finster had said they would be vital for gaining control of the grid. Turning, I saw Kimberly standing off to the side. She held her bow in her hand and she stood at the ready, waiting for my command. I pulled Saba from my waist, nodding at her.

Firing off two arrows, Kim made direct contact with the ground in front of the Rangers. It caused the dirt to fly up in the air in several small explosions. I used the distraction to my benefit, rushing forward. I targeted Trini and Billy first, heading for the two weakest links. I knew that Trini was a skilled fighter but she had a soft spot in protecting the nerd who was unable to fight as well. I brought the blade of Saba down as I flew through the air, landing in front of the two. I caught them by surprise, the two of them flying backwards when the blade slashed through their uniforms. Blood smeared from their wounds, coating the steel blade.

"Trini!" Jason called out, running towards us. I used a counter attack, swinging myself and Saba around. He made his sword appear as well, countering with me. When the two met, sparks flew into the air. I kicked off the ground, colliding my knee into the lower part of his helmet that cased his chin. His head shot back, throwing him off balance. I moved to bring the sword down through his torso but was cut off by the blade of the Dragon dagger.

"I don;t fucking think so." Tommy said, the Green Ranger pushing back against me. "If it's me you want, then let's go."

"I thought you'd never ask." I said, smirking behind my helmet. Flipping backwards, I landed on my feet. To my right, I could see Kimberly was going against Zack and the other Kim, the pink and black Rangers going toe to toe with her. She was firing off arrows rapidly, trying to hit one of them. They managed to move out of the way, her form seeming to be slower than usual. She was favoring her back and was doing her best to avoid close contact with the two. I cursed myself for punishing her before battle. It was a stupid move on my part and would hinder her advances.

"Who are you?" Tommy asked, advancing towards me. He charged with the dagger in hand, attempting to land a kick to my midsection. I stepped back, avoiding the hit and landing one of my own in the middle of his back. He grunted, the pain evident from his flinch.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured that out yet, Tommy. I always thought of you as a quick one. Not a bright guy but one who could eventually figure some stuff out." I replied. I saw Jason, Trini, and Billy behind Tommy, drawing their weapons and heading towards us. That would not do. I wanted this to be a one on one fight. Waving my hand, I started the mechanisms of the Dragonzord again. It let out a loud cry, vibrating the air. The projectiles in the hands cranked out, pointing towards the city below. The three turned their attention to it, skidding to a stop. That would keep them busy until I was through.

"I don't believe you." Tommy said. He moved to attack again, trying to drive the dagger into me. I dodged it, tossing him to the ground. He jumped up quickly, getting back into a fighting stance. Reaching up, I removed my helmet. He took a step back, taking in the sight of himself standing in front of him.

"C'mon, Oliver. Is it really all the awful to believe?" I asked, bringing Saba down. I pulled my dagger out as well, crossing my arms for the attack. He managed to reflect them both. I didn't stop, bringing Saba down again. I nicked his arm this time, bright red blood seeping from a wound that appeared between the split pieces of green spandex. He pushed me back, anger in his yell. Above us, the Dragonzord released its first missile. It screamed through the air until it collided with a group of houses. The explosion shook the ground, rocking everything in the area. Civilians screamed, running from the area. Tommy ran towards me, our daggers colliding in loud metal on metal sounds. "Power is worth it. Think about it, Tommy. It can get you everything you ever wanted. Happiness. Control. Kimberly."

"I already have her." He said through gritted teeth as we pushed out daggers together. His knees bent, me having the upper hand. "She could never love someone like you."

"But she does." I said, applying more pressure. "She's devoted to me and only me. There's no one else she would be loyal to."

"That's what you think." He said, breaking the hold. I took the chance to look over my shoulder. Kimberly was no longer fighting Zack and Kimberly. Instead, she was running full speed towards a younger girl who was standing with a woman who seemed to be hurt. Above them, pieces of a building were falling. The girl was trying to drag the woman to safety. Trini and Billy were also running in that direction, calling out that they were on their way. Rage burned in the pit of my stomach as I saw Kimberly charge forward, forgetting her loyalty to me and the lesson that had been carved into her skin literally two hours ago. She would rather save a strange child than help me win this fight. She had turned her back on me, something she had sworn to never do.

Raising my hand, a green glow encased a large piece of concrete from the building. I brought my hand back and the chunk of building hung in the air for a moment. Kimberly ran harder, everyone's attention turned to see what was happening. Jason let out a loud yell, turning to run forward as well. I opened my palm and the heavy object fell from the sky. It seemed to move in slow motion, the girl and the woman unable to scramble to safety. They disappeared under it, the ground shuddering from the impact. Trini screamed, falling to her knees in the grass. Billy fell next to her, wrapping his arms around her. I watched as the Ranger Slayer stopped, her arms falling to her sides. She also fell to her knees, collapsing to the ground. This Earth's Kimberly let out a loud cry, her hands covering her helmeted face.

"You bastard." Tommy said, turning back to me. "They were innocent!" He attempted to tackle me but it failed, resulting in me being able to sweep his legs out from under him.

"No one is innocent. Each person on this Earth has some type of evil in them. Whether it's jealousy, contempt, or just plain bitterness. Everyone wishes something bad on someone once in their life. Or they seek power that others have taken from them. It's what you wanted, wasn't it? After you were freed from Rita's control. You wished to have it all back so you could complete your mission."

"No." He said, shaking his head.

"Liar. I am you, remember? I know all your emotions and your thoughts because I had them as well. I wished for the power to return and grace me with everything I would. And I did. You could too, Tommy. You could join me. I could give you things you never knew you desired. Adventure. Power. Command. Kimberly could come as well. Together, we could lead an army over anyone who tried to stand in our way. I have control of Rita's forces. Goldar. Lord Zedd. They answer to me. I had the urge and I conquered anything that attempted to extinguish it. Imagine the possibilities. Imagine how we could take over the Morphing Grid together."

"I could never be like you. We may be alike but I could never sink to your level. I chose to fight with the Power Rangers because I knew that I wanted to fix what I had done. I knew that choosing to fight with them was the only way to make up for the cruel actions Rita caused me to do. I will never join forces with you."

"Suit yourself, Tommy. I promise to take good care of your friends though. Especially Kimberly." Grabbing Saba with two hands, I raised it up and readied myself to drive it down.

"NO!" I heard a voice cry. I felt someone collide with me. I stuck my arm out, hitting something with my fingers. When I landed, I saw it was the pink ranger. Her helmet landed next to me, it being the object I had hit with my land. I pulled myself to my feet, grabbing the dagger that had fallen from my hand. Turning, I saw that she was getting to her feet too. As she shifted, she turned her head to look at me.

Time froze when my eyes landed on the face of sixteen year old Kimberly. Her skin looked soft, her cheeks tinted red from the battle. Her long caramel hair was running down her back, the highlight shining as the sun hit them. Her large eyes looked at me with determination, the pools of brown gazing at me with such fierceness I was reminded of a hawk. She made her bow appear, pointing it at me. She was everything that the Ranger Slayer wasn't anymore. She was young, energized, and extremely loyal to Tommy. She had lept in front of an attack just to save him, taking on death itself to make sure he was safe. I felt like I had slipped into a memory, a strange warm feeling filling my chest. Standing in front of me was the reason I had chosen Rita's side and what had led me to everything I had today.

"If you want to kill him, you're gonna have to go through me first, asshole." She said, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Have it your way." I said, shrugging my shoulders. I moved quicker than her, sinking the blade of the dagger into her torso. Her eyes widened as she looked at me, surprised at her features.

"KIM!" Tommy screamed, scrambling to his feet. I caught her as she fell forward, her bow disappearing as she held the wound. I pressed the button on the side of my morpher, teleporting,


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Hello everyone! Here is our next chapter. A lot of the dialogue is from the last chapter so I do apologize if it's redundant.

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_**Tommy**_

"When we get to the park, we aren't sure what we are going to be facing." Jason said as we loaded up our weapons. Billy had been working on them, trying to make sure they were all functioning correctly. I tucked the Dragon dagger into my belt line and my eyes met with Kim.  
I held her gaze for a moment and I saw just a glint of fear there. I wasn't going to lie. I was scared too.

"Billy, Kim, and I will move civilians to safety." Trini said, grabbing her helmet from the console. "They can hide out in the art district where there are lower buildings."

"Good idea. Tommy, Zack, and I will do what we can to stop the Dragonzord." Jason said. I watched as he made his Power Sword disappear for later. There was a distant look in his eyes and I could see the hopefulness in his determination.

"What about the Megazord?" Zack asked. "Couldn't we use it to counter it's attack?"

"Then we risk it being compromised as well." Billy responded. "I'm afraid we will need to resort to hand to hand combat for this confrontation."

"We've got this. I know it doesn't seem like we have a good chance right now but you all need to remember who we are. You need to remember that we are the Power Rangers and all those people out there are counting on us to save the world. If we give up now, we are putting the lives of all of them in danger." Jason said, stepping in the middle of our groups.

"Jason's right." I said, nodding. He shot me a look, telling me he really wasn't looking for my support but he was going to be getting it anyway. "We are the only chance they have at beating this and we need to do everything we can to at least try."

"Rangers," Zordon said, gazing down at us. "This will be very dangerous. I am picking up energy levels I am unable to determine the origin of. I am uncertain of where these new Rangers have come from and what they are possible of."

"Well, we know some of it." Zack said, pointing at the Viewing Globe. "This guy is leveling town with the Dragonzord like it's nothing." He frowned, looking at me. "Sorry about earlier, Tommy."

"It doesn't matter right now. I would have done the same if my family was a risk, man." I said, clapping him reassuringly on the back.

"Our weapons are prepared." Billy said, nodding at the group. "It'll be a moment for me to synchronize them with the Grid again. Then we will be able to teleport to the park."

"Hey." I said, reaching over and gently touching Kim's elbow. She turned, looking up at me. "Thank you."

"For what?" She asked quietly.

"For standing up for me and telling them the truth. I know it wasn't easy and I know that we're in for the lecture of all lectures when this is over." She smiled, reaching over and taking my hands in hers. They were warm, even through her gloves. I had always loved the way our colors went together, the pale pink in contrast to the dark green. It reminded me of pink roses. She was the gentle and soft petals while I was the sturdy yet thorny stem holding her up. She brought out the beauty in us while I did everything in my power to support her.

"At least I'll have you right beside me while we're hearing it, right?" I smiled, nodding. Glancing at the group, I saw they were all doing their best to not look at us. I faced her again, leaning in and pressing my lips to hers.

"Always, Beautiful." I whispered. She smiled, shooting me a wink.

"Same goes for me, Handsome. I'll always be there."

"Everything's ready." Billy announced, stepping back from the console. I let go of Kim slowly, wishing I was still holding her. We pulled our helmets on, securing them into place.

"Oh, Rangers. Please do be careful." Alpha said, worry in his voice.

"May the power protect you, Rangers." Zordon said. I could sense something in his voice and for a moment, his eyes swept over Kim and I. It made me feel uneasy and like he had a feeling of blame towards us. I grabbed Kim's hand between us and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She returned it as we teleported.

* * *

As we whirled through the air with our colors streaking behind us, I could hear the sound of distant explosions. Raising my head the best I could with the speed, I saw the Dragonzord towering above town and destroying everything in its path. Smoke was billowing from the city and fire was shooting from buildings in its wake. I could hear it's cry piercing through the air and it made me feel anger deep down. I felt possessive of the Dragonzord. It was a silly thought but I had been the only one to control it since receiving my Power Coin. The fact someone else was controlling it for evil purposes made me sick.

Our group landed on the grass about forty yards away from the feet of the Dragonzord. The park was in complete and utter chaos. People were running around, hoping to find safety. Buildings were collapsing around the area, loud sounds echoing around us. Screams filled the air as debris rained down. Civilians also littered the ground, either hurt or already deceased. I didn't let my mind wander for too long before turning my attention to Jason.

"Alright. Remember our plan." He called out over the insanity that was happening. We all nodded, Billy, Trini, and Kim breaking off and heading towards the large group of civilians that were cowering under a group of trees. Zack and I stepped closer to Jason, gazing up at the Dragonzord. It had stopped moving, it looming over us like a dark cloud.

"Up there." Zack said, pointing above us. I saw something moving on the top of the zord and soon, a figure appeared more clearly. It was the person in my suit, standing on the forehead of the Dragonzord. He stared down at us, his hand on the hilt of the Dragon dagger at his waist. I was very confused now, putting a hand on mine. I figured he looked like me and knew he had a dagger but I didn't think he would look this much like I did. His stance was similar as mine when I was under Rita's power, a cockiness to it.

"Hey!" Jason yelled, pointing up at the figure. I could hear the anger in his voice. "Who are you?"

"Don't worry about that, Rangers." The figure called out, an odd calm sound in his voice. He raised his arms in the air and an electric green colored light began to glow around him. He rose up in the air, dangling in front of the zord like he was a puppet on a string. "You will know who I am and you will never forget, I assure you." As the guy spoke, there was something familiar in his voice. I didn't know what but I could hear it. It made me feel uneasy and I balled my hands into fists. The man lowered himself, landing on the ground in front of the zord.

"It doesn't matter who you are because we're going to stop you." Zack's voice yelled out next to me. I couldn't bring myself to look away from my evil counterpart. The sinking feeling in my chest was heavy and I couldn't shake it no matter what I did.

"Well then. Let me introduce myself to you." He moved, touching the morpher at his waist. The color around him changed, mixing with white. With a flash, the green uniform was gone. In its place was a white one. There was still a shield on his broad shoulders, it sticking out more and the gold raised in a sharp manner. Dark green was colored in a lower part of the mantle, making it shine brighter. He wore gold cuffs on his biceps and also his forearms, these accented in green trim. There was a green belt around his waist, his morpher in the center. Matching cuffs were on his shins, leading to the white of his boots. My eyes were drawn to his helmet though. The sun reflected off of gold on the top of it, the visor surrounded by it. It was molded in a v-shape, deep roots of black lining from the forehead up. Above the visor, there were two setback red pieces resembling eyes. There was also a red crystal in the middle of the forehead, attached to a black spike that ran backwards and protruded from the top of his head. Two similar spikes were at the tips of the gold v, those shorter in height. The mouthpiece was plated silver and there were more gold accents on either side of it. The visor was made of red, dark and piercing red that shimmered in the sun. On his chest, there was a symbol I didn't recognize but it resembled my Power Coin.

"What the fuck." I muttered. Trini, Billy, and Kimberly ran up to us, all three of them panting from running the length of the park.

"I am Lord Drakkon. I am the ruler of worlds, the victory of thousands, and the destroyer of the Power Rangers. If you surrender now, I promise to make your deaths quick and painless." Lord Drakkon put his right fist in the palm of his left hand. So, he had a name. Lord Drakkon. This guy sure was full of himself.

"I know you're not from around here but we don't give up that easily. We won't stop until you're gone." Jason said, his deep voice sounding out above the noise around us.

"Those were the words I was hoping for." Drakkon cracked his knuckles, nodding his head. He pulled the white sword from his waist, gripping it in his hand. The ground in front of us sprang up in the air suddenly, like a mine had been set off under our feet. I saw the flash of pink and saw the person who had attacked us in the park the first night come running from beside the Dragonzord. Drakkon moved quickly, easily advancing on Trini and Billy as we sputtered through the distraction.

"Trini!" Jason bellowed as her and Billy flew backwards. I saw they had cuts on their fronts and the blade was glinting a red gleam of blood. Jason was quicker than I was, running full speed towards Drakkon. He called out for the Power Sword, it appeared from thin air in his hands. The blade of his sword met with Drakkon's, causing sparks to fly through the air. I pulled my dragger from my waist, running to help him. I watched as Jason lost his balance and Drakkon pulled his arm back. He was ready to drive it through him. I jumped, stopping his blade with the dagger and blocking him from Jason.

"I don't fucking think so." I snarled. "If it's me you want, then let's go."

"I thought you'd never ask." He said, the glee evident in his voice. He flipped away from, landing on his feet in a fighting stance. He was a skilled fighter and I knew that Billy nor Kimberly would be a match against him. I had to take care of him myself before he hurt anyone else. I noticed he was distracted by the dark Pink Ranger who was fighting with Kim and Zack. I took the distraction, advancing on him. I jumped, trying to kick him in his torso. He saw me coming, avoiding it completely. He kicked me square in the spine, causing me to stumble a bit.

"Who are you?" I asked, hoping to distract him again. He seemed to have a big ego and loved to talk about himself. If I could use it to my advantage, I might be able to get the upper hand on him.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured that out yet, Tommy. I always thought of you as a quick one. Not a bright guy but one who could eventually figure some stuff out." I stiffened at the fact he knew my name. That feeling of dread came over me again as the Dragonzord came to life with a wave of his hand. I noticed the way he held the sword and the dagger in his hands, mirroring the way I was holding mine. I shook my head.

"I don't believe you." I said, running and swinging the dagger towards his chest. He dodged again, tossing me like a rag doll to the Earth. I scrambled to my feet quickly, regaining my footing. He let out a laugh and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I watched as he reached up to his helmet and undid the clasps on either side of his head.

"C'mon, Oliver. Is it really all the awful to believe?" He asked, lowering his helmet. I felt the ground disappear from under my feet as I stared into the eyes that have looked back at mine in the mirror my whole life. He was me. He was older, his skin pale and dark purple veins running over the lower part of his face. Dark brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and a smile pulled at his lips. I was looking at an older version of myself, one that had killed so many people in the last 24 hours. I felt like I was going to throw up, cold sweat coating my skin.

The helmet disappeared and he ran forward, swinging both blades towards me. I barely had time to block, his attacks continuing after. I felt one slice into the skin of my arm, causing me to yell. I shoved him off of me, rage coursing under my skin. Screaming from a missile shooting from the Dragonzord vibrated the air before it collided with a building on the other side of the park. Screams filled the air from people scurrying for safety. He stepped towards me, swinging the short sword in his hand.

"Power is worth it. Think about it, Tommy. It can get you everything you ever wanted. Happiness. Control. Kimberly." At the sound of Kim's name coming out his mouth, I ran forward with my dagger. He raised his and they clashed, the metal sound ringing out.

"I already have her." I said, gritting my teeth. He pushed, his strength causing me to bow slightly. I pushed more, using my anger to find strength. "She could never love someone like you." He leaned in more, making my knees bend under his weight.

"But she does. She's devoted to me and only me. There's no one else she would be loyal to." Behind him, I noticed that the dark Pink Ranger was no longer fighting with any of us. Instead, she was helping a group of people to safety. She turned, running towards another group. I could see that Trini's sister and her mother were on the sidewalk. Her mother was laying on the ground and her sister was trying to pull her away from something. I spotted the building collapsing above them then, fear exploding in my chest. The dark Ranger was running towards them as fast as she could, her weapon not drawn. Was she going to save them?

"That's what you think." I said, rolling out from under him. He stood up, turning to see what I had been talking about. I heard him let out an angry growl, his body tensing up. Swiftly, he raised his arm and the glow returned. This time, it was around the part of the building that had been crumbling.

"No!" I exclaimed, running towards him. He opened his hand and it fell. The breath in my lungs vanished as I watched it fall. I could hear Trini and Kimberly scream as it killed Trini's mother and sister. My stomach rolled, threatening to empty into my helmet. Jason yelled, sprinting toward Trini as Billy wrapped his arms around her to help her to the ground. The dark ranger collapsed to her knees too, looking defeated. "You bastard! They were innocent!" I yelled, blind rage filling me. I ran forward, bending to aim for his waist. Instead of tackling him, he shifted and took my legs out from under me with one kick. I landed on my back, him standing over me with both daggers pointed at me.

"No one is innocent. Each person on this Earth has some type of evil in them. Whether it's jealousy, contempt, or just plain bitterness. Everyone wishes something bad on someone once in their life. Or they seek power that others have taken from them. It's what you wanted, wasn't it? After you were freed from Rita's control. You wished to have it all back so you could complete your mission." He said, gazing down at me. I shook my head. He was wrong.

"No."

"Liar. I am you, remember? I know all your emotions and your thoughts because I had them as well. I wished for the power to return and grace me with everything I would. And I did. You could too, Tommy. You could join me. I could give you things you never knew you desired. Adventure. Power. Command. Kimberly could come as well. Together, we could lead an army over anyone who tried to stand in our way. I have control of Rita's forces. Goldar. Lord Zedd. They answer to me. I had the urge and I conquered anything that attempted to extinguish it. Imagine the possibilities. Imagine how we could take over the Morphing Grid together."

I glanced over at my friends who were scattered in the grass. Zack was helping people get to safety, Jason and Billy were consoling Trini, and Kim was off to the side. Kim. The reason I was a part of the team. The reason I got up and fought every second of the day. She was still her like she promised. She was never going to leave my side and she was going to make sure she kept to her word.

"I could never be like you. We may be alike but I could never sink to your level. I chose to fight with the Power Rangers because I knew that I wanted to fix what I had done. I knew that choosing to fight with them was the only way to make up for the cruel actions Rita caused me to do. I will never join forces with you."

"Suit yourself, Tommy." He said, shrugging his shoulders. He stuck the dagger into his waist and grabbed the sword with two hands. I noticed the hilt had a head like that of a white tiger, red eyes looking down at me. "I promise to take good care of your friends though. Especially Kimberly."

"NO!" Kimberly's voice screamed as Drakkon moved to strike. Her body flew over mine, colliding with Drakkon. Both of them went flying to the ground, sprawling in heaps thirty years away from me. I saw that Kim's helmet went flying off of her and that Drakkon moved quicker than her. He was on his feet faster than her. She climbed to hers too, the bow appearing in her hands. I could see that she was saying something but I couldn't make it out, the two of them too far away from me to hear. Drakkon suddenly stepped forward, plunging the Dragon dagger into the flesh above her belly button.

"KIM!" I screamed, scrambling to my feet. Kim fell forward and when she did, the ground around the two of them exploded. It sent me flying backwards, ringing in my ears. I landed, my head bouncing off the pavement as I skidded to a stop. It took a moment for me to focus, the sky above my head seeming to be fuzzy. I fought falling unconscious, sitting up. Dust and smoke filled the area, making it hard to see. I pulled myself to my feet, turning towards where I had just been standing. A pile of rubble was there now, covering the feet of the Dragonzord. I didn't see any sign of Kim or Drakkon. "Kimberly!" I called out, limping forward. Pain was radiating from my body and something was broken, I was sure. It didn't matter. I needed to get to her and find her.

"Tommy!" Jason's voice called. I saw that he was running towards me as I started to climb on the broken pieces of pavement to where I thought I had seen them last.

"Kim's under here!" I called out. I started digging, throwing rocks and hard fill to the side as I did. "Kimberly!" I called out, hoping to hear her voice. Jason appeared next to me, digging as well. Zack clmibed up next to us and soon, the three of us were digging and yelling as well. There was no sign of her though, panic filling my chest.

"Tommy." Jason said, standing up. I ignored him, continuing to dig. "Tommy!"

"She's here." I called out. "He stabbed her! She's under here somewhere."

"Listen to me!" He said, grabbing my shoulders. This caused me to stop and look at him. "We aren't going to find her this way. We will call the zords to help us. It's too dangerous like this."

"Jason." Billy's voice called from the bottom of the rubble pile. We both turned to look at him. "I can't pick up any of Kim's vitals or energy signatures."

"What does that mean, Billy?" Jason asked.

"Either she's not in our universe any more or…" He trailed off. I shook my head, pulling out of Jason's grasp on my shoulder.

"No. It's wrong. She's here. I saw her." I said.

"Guys. Look." Zack said, pointing behind Billy. I saw that the dark Ranger was standing with Trini, her helmet removed. It was indeed an older version of Kim like we had suspected. She was pale and she looked lost.

"Where is she?" I asked, stumbling off of the pile and storming up to her. I grabbed her by the front of her uniform and glared down at her. "Where did he take her?"

"No where." She said.

"Bullshit!" I exclaimed. "Where is the portal to your universe? I'll go find her myself."

"He couldn't have brought her there. Finster said that anyone who went in and out of there was being ripped to shreds besides us. That's why he ran. He knew he was losing."

"You're lying." I said.

"She's gone, Tommy. Kim's dead."


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Good morning, everyone! Here is out next chapter. Enjoy! Remember to R&R. Your reviews make this all worth it. :)

* * *

**Ranger Slayer**

I stood, watching Drakkon egg on the Rangers. Tension was high in the air, mixing with the smoke that filled the area. It was hard to breathe, each breath burned. My back was also on fire, the cuts on my back seeming to repeat itself with each move I made. Drakkon turned towards me, nodding. He had transformed to his complete form, the power glowing around him. I returned the nod, pulling my bow out and firing arrows towards the teens. The ground in front of them blasted into the air in fire balls, knocking them back.

Moving forward, I headed for Zack and Kimberly. I knew it would be foolish to go for Jason or Tommy. They were the more trained fighters on the team and Drakkon was headed towards Billy and Trini. I aimed my airs and fired them towards Kim. Zack pulled her from my line of sight, just missing her feet. Grabbing my bow at the top, I swung. It brought the blades down towards them. Zack deflected it with his axe, pushing me backwards. I flipped through the air, shooting air after air of pink energy towards the teenagers. Kim pulled out her bow as well, firing towards me. I dodged these with ease, darting between them.

From the corner of my eye, I saw that Drakkon had moved from Billy and Trini and was now going head to head with Tommy. My chest tightened at the sight and I turned my attention back to Kimberly. It was surreal, like a dance with our past. I wished with everything that I hadn't come through the portal that day and that I hadn't stumbled upon the two of them. We wouldn't be here and this destruction could have been avoided. I knew I needed to stop Drakkon and try to make him see what was wrong. I didn't know how to do that though. He had already shown me that his punishments towards me would be different. There was no love there. I had felt it the moment he stuck the blade into my skin. I was nothing more than someone else to control in his ranks. It made me sick to my stomach and tears sprang to my eyes that I blinked away, firing arrows blindly towards the Rangers.

Sudden loud screams made the three of us stop and turn to see what was happening. On the edge of the park, a building was beginning to crumble from the missiles that Drakkon had launched again when others had tried to assist Tommy in their fight. A large group of people had been standing below it, leaving them trying to run for cover. I moved to use the distraction to stop Kim and Zack but found myself unable to release the arrow. I looked back over at the group, swearing. I needed to help them. My mind and my body was screaming at me to. I vanished the arrow, running towards them.

"No! Stay away from them!" Zack called out behind me as they started to chase me.

"I'm trying to save them, idiot." I yelled over my shoulder. I skidded to a stop on the sidewalk in front of the group. It was about ten people, each of them cowering in fear. Too much so to move away from the obvious danger.

"The building is going to fall on them." I heard Trini say behind me.

"We will need to get them away from here." I said, turning to see that it was just her, Billy, and Zack behind me. I spotted Kim by Drakkon and Tommy, her and Jason doing their best to stop the Dragonzord from attacking again. I spotted the open area by the lake them, noticing it was far enough away from any structure to be at risk of something like this. "The lake. We need to move them over in that direction."

"Oh, now you're helping us?" Zack asked. "You were just trying to kill me."

"She's right, Zack. Save people now, fight with her later." Trini said, running towards the group. "Everyone! I need you to follow us." She called out to the group. She started towards the lake, the group following her. Billy run with them, making sure everyone stayed together. Zack ran ahead, clearing anything that was in their path. A corner of the building gave, large masses of it falling to the ground. I jumped back, seeing the dust billow from its collision with the sidewalk. I saw more people running up the road towards us and I signaled them to follow the other group. I ran behind them, herding them towards safety.

"Mommy!" A voice yelled behind me. I stopped, my feet sliding on the dewy grass that was under my boots. Behind me, I saw that there was a woman lying on the middle of the asphalt of the road. She was struggling to get to her feet, blood pouring from an open wound on her forehead. There was a girl pulling at her arm and I noticed it was Serena, Trini's sister. She had been the one from yesterday that had noticed who I was. She was crying, trying her best to get her mother up from the ground. Her eyes turned up towards the sky and I shifted to see what she was looking at. The side of the apartment building above them was giving, bricks falling around them. I could hear the moaning of the steel bars in the structure, holding it together with everything it had.

"Serena!" Trini screamed from my right. I felt myself take off, my body running as fast as I could towards them. Serena saw me and her eyes lit up.

"Help me please!" She yelled.

"I'm coming! You have to move!" I yelled out. She pulled on her mother who was still fighting to stand. Above them, I saw that the chunk of building began to glow green. I pulled off of the building and hovered in the air. I didn't look back, knowing it was Drakkon's doing. Was he saving them? Did he see me trying to rescue them and finally let it sink in that there were innocent lives at stake here? I ran harder, getting closer to them.

The glow disappeared and the concrete slammed into the ground where Serena and her mother had been. Everything around me seemed to slow to a snail's pace, the screams the echoed in my ears sounded far away. I stopped, my eyes unable to turn away from where I had just seen Serena standing. She had just been there. Now, the rubble was there. Blood began to pool out from the pile and I fell to my knees.

He killed them. He saw me running to save them and he killed them anyway.

The pain from before blasted into the back of my skull and I let out a loud scream. I fell to the ground, writhing in pain. What was this? Was this him punishing me again? I closed my eyes, clutching at my helmet. I pulled it off, cradling my temples in my hands. Bursts of light filled my eyes and flashes of memories played. Hanging out with my friends at the Youth Center. Standing in the Command Center, talking to Zordon. Me, trying to talk to Tommy Oliver in the hallway. Me, begging him to stop listening to Rita and to join our team. Me, being asked to join him. Me, telling him I would never betray my friends and family like that. Him, telling me I wouldn't have the choice.

_ I walked through the park, the night air feeling fresh compared to that of the Command Center. We had taken refuge there, the latest battle taking its toll on us. We were all tired and sore. Jason and Zack were also pretty beat up. Rest had sounded great until I had received the message. Somehow, Tommy had been able to reach me. He asked me to meet him here. I knew that the others would not approve. I snuck out as soon as they were asleep, teleporting just outside of the Command Center. I had tried to talk myself out of coming but my heart had made the decision for me._

"_You came." A voice said in the shadows, causing me to jump. Tommy stepped out, just standing in the light of the nearby street lamp. I nodded, apprehension filling me._

"_I did. Why?" I asked._

"_I needed to see you. I have a question for you." He stepped closer, his slender frame towering over mine. He would easily over power me if I let me guard down._

"_What is it, Tommy?"_

"_Do you still care for me?" He asked, his tone and facial features soft for once. I hadn't seen him look at me like this since before Rita granted him his power coin. This was the Tommy I remembered._

"_Yes." I whispered without think. "I do."_

"_Come with me then." He whispered. "Come with me and be with me."_

"_What?" I whispered._

"_Kimberly, think about it. I can give you anything you ever imagined." Tommy said, stepping closer to me. He reached over and grabbed my hands. I moved to pull away but hesitated. It was still Tommy, the boy I loved. "We can be together."_

_ "We can be together if you join our team, Tommy." I pleaded, looking up at him. "You can help us stop Rita for what she did to you." He shook his head._

_ "She's given me everything. I can't turn my back to her. I'm going to take over the world and I want you by my side."_

_ "Well, not like this." I pulled away. "I can't join forces with you if you plan on following in her footsteps. She's evil, Tommy. You're not! We freed you from her spell. How can you still follow her so blindly? She took everything away from you! She wants to see all of us dead. If you want to be with me, you have to stop. Please."_

_ "No." He shook his head, grabbing me roughly by the forearms. "You're going to come with me and we will rule together."_

_ "Tommy, please don't do this." I whispered, tears in my eyes. "It's me. It's Kimberly."_

_ "I know. That's why I have to." His eyes flashed green and I felt my body stiffen. I was paralyzed, unable to move. "Love me, Kimberly. Love, honor, and obey me until your last breath. You'll fight against the Power Rangers and slay every last one of them. You'll be the assassin that you were destined to be. You will please me in every way I can imagine and more."_

_ "Yes, Lord Drakkon." I heard myself say._

It was a spell. My eyes opened as the ache of my memories returning started to dull. He had placed me under a spell. I was turning him away and he placed me under some type of magic to make me stay with him. I hadn't wanted to do the things I had done. He had caused me to kill my friends and other people to get what he wanted. He had taken everything from me in order to have me there with him. He used me. He used me in every way he could.

"Are you alright?" A voice asked above me. I saw that Trini was kneeling by me, her helmet blocking out the hazy sun above us. "You are Kimberly."

"Y-y-yeah." I whispered, sitting up.

"You tried to save them." She said, pulling her helmet off. "My mother. My sister. You were trying to save them." I nodded, feeling tears in my eyes.

"I was the one at the park yesterday who had walked her there." I said softly. The sound around us had softened, the fighting seeming to come to a stop. "I'm sorry I didn't get there in time."

"We need to help the others." She said, shaking her head. Standing, she held her hand out to me. I took it and she pulled me to my feet. We turned, running towards where Drakkon had been fighting with Tommy. There was a heavy dust cloud in the air and I didn't see Drakkon anywhere. I saw Tommy, Jason, and Zack digging through a large rock pile, tossing rubble as they went.

"Kimberly!" Tommy screamed, throwing a large piece of concrete to the side. Billy was on the ground, talking to Jason as we approached. Jason grabbed Tommy, stopping him. All sights turned to me as we came to a stop next to the group.

"Where is she?" Tommy demanded, running over to me. He grabbed the neck of my uniform and practically picked me up off the ground. "Where did he take her?" I saw the blood on his uniform and noticed that Kimberly wasn't in the area with the rest of them. I could also feel a difference in the power inside of me. It wasn't as strong, telling me that her Power Coin was not nearby or that she was no longer needing it.

"Nowhere." I said. That pissed him off more, him shaking me in rage.

"Bull shit!" He yelled. "Where is the portal for your universe? I'll go find her myself." I shook my head. I had been there when Drakkon had spoken to Finster. He had noticed but I was in the shadows. I had heard Finster explain that the portal was too dangerous to go through unless you held extreme power life Drakkon. Besides, he would have no reason to bring him with her. He viewed them as useless and wanted their Power Coins. Chances are, she was at the bottom of this pile and her Power Coin was traveling with Drakkon.

"He couldn't have brought her there." I explained. "Finster said that anyone who went in and out of there was being ripped to shreds besides us. That's why he ran. He knew he was losing."

"You're lying." Tommy said, his grip growing even tighter. I was reminded of Drakkon for a second, the rage in his voice.

"She's gone, Tommy." I said. "Kim's dead."

"No." He said, dropping me. "She can't be."

"Zordon, we need our Zords." Jason said into his communicator on his wrist.

"Alpha is sending them right now, Rangers." The being replied. The whole group turned towards me as Tommy stared at the rubble pile.

"I need to find her. He has her somewhere." He said, unmorphing.

"Tommy, you heard her. There's no way-." Jason started but Tommy shook his head, cutting him off.

"You're either with me or not. I'm not standing around here while she's out there." With a blast of green light, he was gone.

"Who is he? And who are you? What are you doing here?" Jason asked, pulling his helmet off. I guess the whole secret identity thing was out the window with their whole town destroyed.

"Lord Drakkon. He is the version of Tommy from my world. He has taken over after siding with Rita Repulsa. We tried to free him from her spell but he returned to her side after he gained his freewill back." I explained. "I'm Kimberly. He's had me under a spell since then. It didn't break until I saw just how much of a monster he is."

"Why are you in our world?" Billy questioned, looking fascinated.

"His powers were getting weaker. He somehow managed to open up the Morphing Grid in our world. He sensed some kind of power. When he found out it was you, he wanted to steal your Power Coins and make him stronger." I replied. I felt exhausted, like I had run three marathons in a short time frame.

"What about the Rangers from your time? Why haven't they tried to stop him?" Zack asked. I bit my lip, turning my gaze to my feet.

"Most of them are dead." I said softly. "He killed Jason, Zack shortly after that. And Trini…" I trailed off, the weight of my actions heavy on me. I had slain my own best friend. I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw it was Trini. She gave me a small smile before turning to the group.

"We need to find a way to stop him before he comes back for the rest of our coins. She can help us now."

"Oh, fuck no." Jason said, shaking his head. "It's too convenient that you just happen to be freed from a spell when he ditched you in our world. How do we know that this isn't another trap you're leading us into? You're good at that."

"You don't." I replied. "But I can assure you that I want nothing more than to stop Drakkon either. He took my life from me and I want him to pay for what he's done."

"Our Zords are coming." Zack said, nodding towards the sky on the eastern part of the park.

"Uh…those aren't our Zords." Jason replied, stepping towards them. In the sky, I spotted several large objects flying towards the park. They were shaped like triangles, black metal forming the bodies of the unidentified flying objects. There were three of them in total, lights on the bottom of them. They flew over, stopping directly above the park. Slowly, they lowered themselves to the ground. I had seen one of these vehicles before in my world. It had belonged to an alien race that Drakkon had destroyed early on in our quest to rule all. Drakkon had taken their fleet under his control, using their technology to design weapons for his troops. The vehicles landed and the group tensed up, taking a fighting stance.

"Are these friends of yours?" Billy asked, glancing at me. I shook my head, taking a stance as well. Perhaps with the new Power Coin, he had found a way to travel with others through the portal.

The door on the closest ship opened, a ramp coming from it. Tension hung in the air as we waited for someone to appear. I could see figures in the doorway and then, four people began to walk down the ramp. They all wore heavy armor made of a dull silver material. It reminded me of the armor worn by the troops in Drakkon's command, represented by the five coins that used to be held by the Coinless. The one in the front was carrying a long weapon, one I recognized as an energy blaster from my world. All of the troops in our command used them. I was right. They were under his command.

"I don't know who they are but they don't seem too friendly." I replied.

The group traveled closer. On the sides of their armor, there were patches of color. The other also carried various types of weapons, ranging from guns to blades. I felt uneasiness in the pit of my stomach as I armed myself with my bow. I wasn't going to leave anything to chance. There were helmets covering their heads, dark protective material covering their eyes. They walked in their formation, not raising their weapons towards us. The Power Rangers followed my lead, holding up their weapons to prepare for another battle. The group stooped about ten years away, flanking out. The one who had been leading lowered his weapon, letting it hand by its strap around his shoulder. Reaching up, he unclasped the latches on either side of his helmet and pulled it off. The others follow suit, pulling their helmets off. I felt the air in my lungs disappear as I glanced at their faces.

"Hey, gang." Jason Lee Scott from my time said. He smiled at the teenagers, a thick goatee on his face. To his left, I saw an older version of Zack with short dreads in his hair. To Jason's right stood Trini, her long hair cut shorter now and pulled back in a bun. And next to Trini was Billy, shaggy hair around his head. They were alive. "Thought you could use some help."


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N: Hi everyone! Well, here we are. The last chapter. It's a shorter and I apologize for this. I really hope you enjoy it! I have some stuff that will be rolling out after this so stick around. :) I've enjoyed writing this fic. Lord Drakkon is such an interesting character and I loved writing from his point of view. You might notice some Easter Eggs in this chapter if you've read the comics. **_

_**As always, please R&R. I own nothing PR related.**_

* * *

_**Kimberly**_

"Hey, Kim." Tommy said, appearing next to me. I shifted, looking up at him from my locker. His hair was slicked back with some light gel and his soft smile was on his face.

"Hey, Tommy. What's up?" I asked. He shrugged, nervously playing with the books in his hands.

"Nothing much. Just had a killer pop quiz in Miss Appleby's class. You?"

"I heard. I'm pretty sure I saw a student cry coming out of her classroom." He laughed as I grabbed my history book from inside of my locker, stacking it in my arms with my binder.

"Do you need help with that?" He asked, pointing to my books. I didn't. I could handle carrying the light load.

"Sure." I replied, smiling. He reached over and took them from me, his fingers grazing mine for a brief moment. I saw his cheeks flush and I bit back the smile on my face, turning away from him.

"What are you doing after school today?" He asked, watching as I closed my locker. We started up the hallway, my books under his arm.

"Nothing. I was just gonna head home and hang out. Why?" He shrugged his shoulders. He was acting shy and I found it adorable. It reminded me of the first time we had met. He had been shy then too. Well, after he scared off Bulk and Skull.

"I thought maybe we could catch a movie or something."

"Like with everyone?" I questioned. He stopped outside of my classroom, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.

"Well, no. I thought maybe it could just be the two of us." He said sheepishly.

"Oh!" I said, unsure of what else to say. Was he asking me out? I had been hoping since he joined the team that it would happen. I felt butterflies in my stomach. "You mean like a date?"

"No! I mean if you want. But I don't want to make you feel like you have to. Or whatever." I smiled up at him.

"We could just go and not call it anything if it makes you feel any better." I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. I felt his tension slip away, his shoulders relaxing under my touch. "No labels work for me."

"That sounds so much less stressful for me." He said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'll swing by your house about five, okay?" He handed me my books.

"Sounds like a plan to me." I replied. He shot me a wink before jogging up the hallway.

I rushed home from school after the final bell, telling Trini I could meet her at the Youth Center like I had promised. She had asked for details but I didn't say much. I just told her I was hanging out with Tommy. This earned me a smug smile and a demand for a phone call later tonight. At my house, I found that my mother wasn't home. I took the time to shower quickly and straighten out my hair. I also searched my closet for something to wear. I didn't want to come off as desperate but I still wanted to dress to impress. I settled on a pink floral dress and a light denim vest. I changed quickly, pacing the floor in the living room while I waited for Tommy to show up.

The doorbell rang a few minutes shy of five. I did my best to not sprint to the door as I went to open it. Tommy was standing there, a smile on his face. He had also changed, his hair pulled back in a little pony tail. His t-shirt from earlier was gone, replaced by a dark green one and a brown bomber jacket. He had light blue jeans on his legs and he looked very handsome. It was a relaxed look that I hadn't seen him in before. He sure did clean up good.

"Hey. Are you ready to go?" He asked. I nodded, grabbing my purse from the table by the door. He closed the door behind me and we started up the sidewalk toward downtown where the movie theater was. He didn't say much as he walked and I saw that there was something on his mind. I asked him what it was but he shook it off. By the time we got to the theater, I felt an uneasiness fall over us.

"Are you okay, Tommy?" I asked as we took our seats in the center of the aisle. We were in the middle of the room, it being empty since the movie we had picked had been out for a few weeks now.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Really." He said, sitting down. He held out the bucket of popcorn to me and set the diet soda he had bought me in the cup holder. "I'm sorry. I know that I'm ruining this for you."

"It's alright." I said, putting a hand on his arm. "If you need to talk, don't forget I'm here for you."

"I know." The room darkened as the movie began to play on the screen. I felt him ease up next to me, our arms touching on our arms rests. I eyed his hand, his thumb and his pointer finger fidgeting with each other. Did he want to hold my hand? Did I want him to hold my hand? I bit my lip. Everything between Tommy and I had been so strained with the help of Rita. I knew I liked him but I didn't want him to think that I was the kind of girl who went too fast. This was all new to me. I didn't know what kind of girl I wanted to be yet. I felt sweat form in the palms of my hands and I wiped them on the skirt of my dress.

On the screen, the movie was playing. It was some action movie about aliens taking over the world. The main character was in his own spaceship, trying to stop them from attacking Earth. Buildings were exploding left and right, mushroom clouds of flames came from each one when it happened. I snorted at the last one shaking my head.

"Buildings don't explode like that." I said, glancing at him. He smiled, nodding.

"I have no clue what's even going on right now."

"Good. That makes two of us." He laughed, keeping his voice down as someone shushed us. I covered my mouth with my hand, stifling my laughter.

"Tough crowd." He whispered, taking a handful of popcorn.

We finished the movie, following the group out of the theater. It was dark outside now, the moon rising over the park. Rain had fallen while we had been inside, the ground wet. It made a squishing sound as cars drove by on the wet asphalt. Tommy and I walked slowly, heading through the park towards my part of town.

"Sorry the movie wasn't the greatest." He said. "The first three were so I thought this one might have some promise."

"It's fine. And the last one was awful." I teased, nudging him with my arm.

"What? You don't appreciate the fine art of alien brains all over the screen?" I let out a laugh that echoed around us.

"I guess not much after our current occupations." We strolled a while more until we were in front of my house. My mother's car was in the driveway but the lights were off except the hall. She leaves this one on for me when I'm not home so I'm not tripping over everything coming in. I stopped on the sidewalk, turning to face him. "I had fun tonight, Tommy. Thank you for inviting me."

"Anytime. I had fun, too. I always do when I'm with you." He reached over and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. My heart was thundering in my chest as I waited for him to lean in. He was so close now. It would only take an inch or two for him. "Goodnight, Kim." He said, pulling away.

"Oh." I said. "Goodnight." He smiled, turning away and starting up the sidewalk. I grabbed the railing of the porch steps, lifting my leg to climb them. I paused, glancing in his direction. "Tommy, wait!" I called out, running towards him. He stopped and spun to face me. Jumping up, I threw my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. His eyes widened in surprise but it only took him a moment to wrap his arms around me. I pulled away slightly, smiling at him.

"Well, that was better than I ever imagined. I've waited a long time for that."

"Me too. I couldn't wait any longer for you, Oliver." I smirked, giving him another peck on the lips.

* * *

"Tommy?" I whispered, a heavy feeling in my head. I tried to open my eyes but the lids felt like they weighed more than the sun. My entire body hurt, a searing pain coming from my head mostly. I felt like I was swimming, everything sounding foggy. I couldn't hear much, a distance bird chirping I believed. There was also the rich smell of some type of cologne or perfume in the air around me. "Tommy…" I said again, hoping he would hear me.

Slowly, my eyes lifted and I saw a bleary room in front of me. I blinked, it did not help much. I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again. My vision started to clear more and I could make out a dresser on the other side of the room. I rubbed my eyes, getting the sleep from them. The room was large and the walls were made of dark stone. Black furniture was around me and green accents covered everything in the room. I was confused. Where was I? I tried to remember what had happened. The last thing I could recall was Tommy. I didn't know what it was but just that he had been there.

Sitting up, a sharp pain came from my torso. Looking down, I saw that I was wearing a light pink nightgown of some type. I pulled it up, seeing a bandage on my mid-drift. Suddenly, the memory of being stabbed by Drakkon came to mind. He had been fighting with Tommy, going to kill him. I had stopped him and he had run me through with the dagger. I remembered falling and then some loud screaming before passing out.

I reached for my communicator and saw it was gone. The same was for my morpher, it was not on my waist. Shifting, I saw that there was something on the wall across from me. It was a mounted weapon. I recognized it as Jason's Power Sword. My stomach dropped as I realized that I was not in friendly territory. I climbed out of the bed, spotting a door. I ran for it, hoping to escape before anyone saw I was mobile. As I sprinted, something caught me by the ankle and it sent me flying to the floor. Rolling over, I saw I had a shackle around my right ankle and it was connected to a chain. The other end was attached to the bed. I yanked my foot, hoping to pull it free. It didn't budge, the metal digging into my flesh. I clawed at it with my fingernails but it didn't give. I needed to find a way to break free from these chains and make it out the door. I didn't know where I was but anywhere would be better than here. I had no clue where Drakkon could be and what other resources he had at his disposal on his own turf.

"You're awake." A voice said from the other side of the room. I jumped up to my feet, seeing the older version of Tommy we had battled standing there. His uniform was gone and he was dressed in black slack pants and a dark green long sleeved shirt. He was lazily leaning against a door frame, a smile on his face.

"Where am I?" I asked. "What do you want?"

"You are a guest here in my castle." He replied.

"Do you typically shackle all your guests?" I asked, glaring at him. He laughed, shaking his head as he pushed off the doorway.

"Not unless they give me reason too and we both know you would have more than enough reason, Kimberly." He tucked his hands in his pockets, stepping towards the bed. "I hope you find this room comfortable. I've relocated myself to give it to you."

"Take it back because I won't be staying long enough to need it." I said, taking a fighting stance. "Tommy is on his way to save me with the rest of the team."

"Oh, Kimberly. I was hoping I wouldn't need to break this news to you so soon." He stepped closer, bringing his hand from his pocket. He waved it at me and I felt myself get pulled forward, closer to him. I struggled against it but I couldn't move.

"Let me go." I gritted, glaring up at him.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Tommy and your friends aren't on their way here to save you, my dear. Dead men can't fight battles."

"You lie." I said, narrowing my eyes as I looked up at him. It couldn't be true. I had saved him. I had made sure of it. That's why I blocked his attack from killing him. Drakkon was lying. "Tommy isn't dead."

"No?" He questioned. He waved his hand again and something appeared on the bed. It was Tommy's helmet. The visor was busted on it and I could see blood stains on it. "Explain this then."

"No." I whispered, shaking my head. He released his hold on my and I collapsed on the bed, grabbing the helmet. Tears filled my eyes as I held it. I could smell the blood mixing with the scent of his shampoo. "Tommy…"

"He fought hard. You should be proud of him. But in the end, he couldn't beat me. Him nor your friends. I managed to bring you here and heal your wounds. It was a close call but I managed to save you in time. Finster works wonders far more advanced than those in your time."

"Then why am I here? Why keep me alive?" I asked, glaring at him. He sighed, walking towards the main door of the room.

"Well, my Kimberly was lost in your world. She wasn't loyal to me as I had hoped. That's the problem with spells. They wear off after a while. I feel that you will be different, Kimberly. You love Tommy. A part of me is him. I feel that you will grow to love me."

"Never. I could never love you." I spat. He smiled, opening the door.

"You will. You will grow to love me." He stepped through the doorway, turning back to face me. "Just like you will grow to love our unborn child."


	21. Preview

A/N: Hi everyone! I hope everyone is doing well. I know it's been some time since Altered/Reality finished. I hope you all really enjoyed it. It was a roller coaster to write that I thought would be over but I guess not. ;)

I present to you the preview for Part 2 of Altered/Reality! It may sound familiar if you have heard about the project JDF is/was working on called the Legend of the White Dragon. I liked the concept of it so I am going to take it and incorporate it into this fic because I feel it will go a whole lot better here. Some of it might be similar but this will be my take.

As always, I own nothing. And I do apologize it's short. Enjoy!

* * *

**Altered/Reality: Legend of the White Dragon**

_A Preview_

Thunder rolled and lightning flashed across the sky as the shuttle neared the abandoned warehouse. This portion of the country had been long abandoned at the beginning of the war, the hollowed shell that was once Angel Grove looking like a ghost town. Few remained in the area, fear too great for them to stick around for long. The shuttle hovered in the area, scans running from the beam the projected out of the bottom of it. A red light flashed across the building as it searched for any signs of life. There was blip on the screen, indicating someone was there.

"Target is heading for the south exit. I'll cut him off." The figure in the helm said, waving the screen away to load another to see the blue print of the structure.

"Copy that." A voice said in his helmet. He brought the ship down, resting it in a courtyard in the middle of the warehouse unit. Fire was burning on the roof of the building, sending off smoke filled with toxic fumes. Raising his head, he saw an open loading dock and a figure skidded to a stop just out of the light.

"We have you surrounded." The pilot announced, his voice echoing around the brick building. "There's nowhere to run." The hooded figure looked up at his, his cloak hiding everything on his face except a chin with a rough goatee.

"We got eyes!" The voice said as the pilot grabbed his weapon from near his seat and climbed from the air craft. "Don't move! Let me see your hands." The pilot could see the cloaked figure raise their hands in the air as his partner moved in, gun raised towards him. His armor illuminated a red glow, filling his visor. "Easy. Don't move." He turned to another figure behind him, the third of their group. "Cover me."

"Already on it." She said, raising her weapon as well. Hers had a yellow illumination to it. The pilot walked towards them, putting his gun on his back and pulling his laser batons from his waist. Black light lit his armor, giving him the ability to see. His weapons also glowed Black, lighting the room that grew darker as he walked away from the door.

"Keep those hands right there!" Red said, nearing the figure more. Suddenly, the figure moved. He spun around, his hood falling back as he grabbed the barrel of Red's weapons. He pulled him into him as Yellow fired. The man used Red as a shield, the blast of energy bouncing off the back piece of Red's armor. Red fell, the man holding his blaster in his hands. He aimed it at Yellow, a shot of energy blasting out as he pulled the trigger. It narrowly missed her head, charring a supportive beam behind her. He fired again, it making direct contact with her chest plate. She let out a cry as she fell to the ground. Black let out a loud cry as he ran forward, swinging at the man. He managed to knock the weapon from his hands but he was fighting off the attacks from the batons with easy.

"What side are you on?" Black asked as the two locked arms in a hold. "Why are you running?" The man stared at him for a moment, not moving. He shifted, trying to run. He spun Black on his heel, dodging the baton as he swung it. The man disarmed Black, using one of the batons as his own. He swung it, blasting Black in his visor. It slowed him a little but he continued to fight back. He kicked the baton, disarming the man as well. This left them to fight with their bare hands, the man attempting to elbow him numerous times. Black grabbed his arms in a hold, the man struggling. "What are you hiding? Why won't you join the fight?" The man let out a growl, a green light filling his eyes. He stepped back, pulling his arm from the hold. His fist began to glow green, matching his eyes. He brought his fist down, slamming it into Black's chest. He flew backwards, colliding with the wall behind him. It left a crater in the brick as he collapsed to the ground.

"I've lost everything!" The man yelled, his chest rising and falling quickly as he seethed. "They've taken everything from me!" Black raised his head, looking up at him. He struggled to his feet as the man took a few steps back. Reaching up, Zack Taylor pulled his helmet off.

"You're not the only one who's lost something, Tommy." He said. Tommy shook his head, uncertainty on his face. Zack looked differently than Tommy had last remembered. There was a large scar on his face, running from the bottom of his left cheek to the right side of his forehead. "We've all made sacrifices." Yellow and Red limped towards the two, pulling their helmet off as well. Trini Kwan's long black hair spilled from hers while Jason Lee Scott stood in front of Zack.

"What do you want from me?" Tommy asked.

"You're the key." Jason said, stepping towards him. Tommy shook his head.

"Have you heard of the legend of the White Dragon?" Trini asked.

"Billy thinks we've finally found something to help us restore balance." Jason replied. He pulled something from his side, holding it out. "The White Dragon crystal." Tommy looked down, seeing a glowing white opaque rock in Jason's hand. It had its own aura to it, a strong energy signature coming from it. Tommy could feel the hair on the back of his neck stood up. "Your energy is the key."

"Then why did you attack me?" Tommy asked.

"We needed to make sure you weren't him." Trini explained. Tommy shook his head again, stepping back.

"Well, you wasted your time. I have my own mission. I've got nothing left to fight for with you or your team." He turned, heading to walk out of the building.

"She's alive, Tommy!" Jason called out. Tommy froze where he stood, tension in his shoulders. "Kimberly. She's alive. We've found traces of her. If you leave now, she'll be dead soon. Is that what you want?" Jason yelled loudly, his deep voice echoing off the walls around the group. Tommy turned to face them again, tears burning the backs of his eyes. He didn't want to believe him. With everything that's happened in the last five years, he didn't know what to believe. "He has her at his citadel. We've tried to save her but it was no use. That's why we need you."

"I swear to everything in me," Tommy said, raising a hand to point at Jason. He walked until they were just inches apart, anger on his face. Something was raging through him he hadn't felt in ages. Was it hope? "If you're lying, you're the first one I'm coming after."

"And if I'm not, you've got your reason to fight." Jason replied. He held out the white crystal to Tommy. "Here. It's yours." Slowly, Tommy reached out and took it in his hand. A siege of power washed over him as he took three steps back. Giving a glance to the three, he took a deep breath. If they were right, this was the only way to save Kimberly. The only way to get his life back like it was before the war. He was going to do everything he could to make sure that happened.

"White Dragon!" Tommy yelled before a bright white light exploded around him.

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_**Coming to you soon!**_


	22. Preview 2

A/N: Alright! Here is the preview for my next fic titled Who You Are. I decided to put it between the Altered/Reality fics to give Lord Drakkon some breathing room hahaha. This fic will be Ranger fighting free as well but no worries. Lots of drama, angst, and Kimberly swearing like we all know and love her for. It's a short preview but hopefully, it'll start rolling out sometime this week or over the weekend.

Let me know what you think!

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**Who You Are  
**_A Preview_

"Price check on register four!" A monotone voice said over the loud speaker above my head. I glanced up, continuing to drum my fingers on the side of the sink. Outside of the bathroom, I could hear foot traffic as people headed up the small hallway to the break room for the employees. I heard some laughter as someone made a joke followed by the door closing behind them. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. This wait was going to kill me. I knew I should have gone somewhere else to do this but I needed to know as soon as possible.

On the counter in front of me sat the sink. It was a single occupant bathroom, no stalls on the toilets. Opening my eyes, I released the breath I had been holding. I eyed the pink card board box, one I had seen several times over the course of the last three years. My nerves were getting the best of me for no reason. Dr. Franklin's words repeated in my head, "Getting pregnant for you seems to be impossible. I'd look into your other options." I nodded, as if he was there. This was pointless. I had wasted $5 on something that would be negative. That same feeling of regret began to sink in as I thought about it. It was something I had hoped would happen over the course of the last four years. Something that I had seen countless doctors about. Dr. Franklin has only been the latest to tell me the exact same thing. Infertility with no clear reason.

Walking over, I grabbed the box and tipped it over. I glanced at my watch and saw it had been the time needed for the test to be accurate. It slide out, face down. My heart thundered in my chest. I thought back to everything that had been occurring in the last couple of days. My period was late. That was something that was common with me. Welcome to the world of Poly-cystic Ovary Syndrome. But I also was more tired and had some weird cramping. Plus, my boobs felt like they were going to fall off they were throbbing so badly. Maybe these were just period signs and I had jumped the gun. But Dr. Franklin had advised us to test every month just the same just in case we were lucky.

My fingers trembled as I reached over and turned the test over. A shrill ringing from my purse caused me to jump, halting me. I opened my purse quickly, spotting my cell phone. The phone screen was lit up green and I could see Nick's name on the caller ID. I hit answer, bringing the phone to my ear.

"Hey, Nick." I said, stepping away from the sink.

"Where are you?" My husband's voice said in my ear. His voice was a bit choppy due to my location but I could still make out his annoyance crystal clear.

"I'm at the store. I needed to pick a few things up for dinner." I replied, biting my lip.

"This is starting to bullshit, Kim. You go to work and you come home. There's no reason to be running all over after you clock out."

"I'm sorry. We just needed milk and some other things. I'm getting ready to cash out now. Is there anything you want me to pick up?" I stepped forward, picking up the test. I turned it over in my hand.

"I just want you to get your ass home now." He snarled, hanging up the phone. I didn't flinch from his outburst. I didn't even move to take the phone from its place cradled between my shoulder and ear. My eyes were transfixed on the two pink lines that were in the window of the pregnancy test. The lines weren't even light, making me question like some months. There were as dark as could be. As positive as it could be. Shaking my head, the phone fell from its place and landed on the floor. This couldn't be true. It couldn't be happening. I was pregnant. I was finally pregnant. And I didn't know if it was my husband's baby.

Or Tommy's.

Kimberly and her husband, Nick, have been together since she moved to Florida. Now residing in Miami, Kim is working as an athletic trainer for a nearby gym. It's not her dream job but it helps pays the bills with Nick out of work due to a back injury. This has left a strain on their marriage along with their inability to have children. They've been to every fertility doctor in the area without much answers nor a baby to amount from it.

When Nick suddenly decides to relocate to Angel Grove, the couple move back into the open arms of Kim's friends. She's thrilled to be back but she's starting to see a change in Nick. She's not the only one when Tommy begins to see the guy behind the charm. He's happy to reconnect with Kimberly after all this time but is struggling with seeing her with such a creep. Everything changes after one chance night though, leaving Kim questioning what to do next.


End file.
